Amazon has launched a speedy grocery delivery service promising deliveries in under 30 minutes. This service offers a wide selection of groceries and household essentials, ranging from dairy products and baby supplies to medications.
The move puts Amazon in direct competition with supermarkets that have existing partnerships with delivery providers offering similar rapid services. Last September, Amazon announced the closure of all its Amazon Fresh grocery stores, leading to this new initiative.
The new service, called Amazon Now, is currently being piloted in selected postcodes in London’s Southwark area using bicycle delivery. Amazon plans to expand the service to more areas in the near future. Delivery riders will be recruited through Amazon Flex, a program that does not provide direct employment.
John Boumphrey, Amazon UK’s country manager, highlighted the convenience of Amazon Now in a blog post, emphasizing the swift delivery of thousands of products. This move aligns with Amazon’s strategy to enhance delivery speed, complementing their existing same-day and next-day delivery options.
Amazon’s decision to introduce ultra-fast deliveries follows its partnership with Gopuff last July, aimed at providing quick delivery of a variety of goods within an hour, with some items available in as fast as 15 minutes. Prime members can enjoy discounted delivery fees starting from £1.99 per order, compared to £3.99 for non-Prime members. Orders under £15 will incur an additional £2 fee, irrespective of membership status.
The company stated that further details about the service will be revealed in the upcoming months as they strive to simplify and speed up the shopping experience for customers throughout the UK. Amazon confirmed its focus on online delivery services after closing its 19 UK grocery stores last year, citing the significant growth potential in online delivery as a driving factor behind the decision.
Despite the closure of its physical stores, Amazon remains committed to expanding its online grocery and household essentials offerings, emphasizing its dedication to serving customers through convenient and efficient means.