Business & Tech

Amazon Expanding Into Grocery Delivery Service: Is That Something You'd Purchase?

Tired of going to the grocery store? Would you like your groceries delivered to your front door instead?

You may soon be getting more options on that kind of service.

Amazon.com is reportedly ready to expand its grocery delivery business. The online distribution firm has been quietly honing its Amazon Fresh service for several years in its home base of Seattle.

Reuters reports Amazon is finally ready to expand grocery delivery into California. The company will reportedly set up distribution systems in Los Angeles as early as this week and begin San Francisco operations later this year.

They’ll be in competition with Safeway stores, which already deliver groceries, as well as regional companies such as Instacart, which delivers to homes in San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley and other Bay Area locations.

What do you think? Have you tried home grocery delivery? Are you thinking about it? What would the service have to provide? Would you prefer to use an online distribution company or would you prefer to have the local grocery store bring the goods?

Or do you plan to continue to visit neighborhood stores such as the Grocery Outlet on Railroad Avenue?

While you ponder that, here’s some basic information on home grocery delivery services.

All of them have delivery charges. All offer same-day delivery, some even one-hour delivery. Some require you be home to accept the order. Others will leave it on your doorstep.

Instacart lets you tip the driver. Safeway does not allow its drivers to accept tips.

Amazon would apparently use a large regional warehouse as its distribution focal point. In addition to groceries, their Seattle operation offers to deliver food from local restaurants.

Amazon officials are reportedly testing the market to see if they can combine their other products with the grocery deliveries. In other words, you could get a book or DVD along with your food if you ordered them about the same time.

Instacart picks up its items from Safeway stores as well as Trader Joe’s, Costco and Whole Foods.

Safeway brings items directly from its stores. It requires a $49 minimum purchase. The delivery charge is $12.95 for orders under $150 and $9.95 for orders above $150. A fuel surcharge is sometimes added.


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