Amazon seeks to leave your food in the garage 1:01
New York (CNN Business) -
Amazon wants to make grocery deliveries more convenient and protect them from theft and bad weather by bringing them directly to customers' garages.
The move comes as the company is trying to expand its grocery and household products business.
Here's how it works: First, you need a compatible Wi-Fi or smart garage door control.
Once configured to work with the Key by Amazon app, Prime members can purchase Whole Foods or Amazon Fresh groceries online and select "key delivery" at checkout.
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On the day of delivery, the driver uses an Amazon handheld scanner to open the garage door (the company grants drivers a single access via the device).
The drivers leave their purchases inside and close the door behind them.
Customers are notified of delivery in real time.
Walmart already offers a similar service.
Amazon has had an eye on the food industry for years.
But shopping for groceries online didn't start to gain traction until the pandemic, as many people tried to avoid going into stores.
Now, the company is betting on people continuing to shop online.
Businesses that thrived during covid-19 expect customers to stay after the pandemic
In November, it began testing the grocery delivery service in five cities.
Now it makes it available to everyone with access to Amazon grocery stores - millions of customers in some 5,000 cities and towns across the United States.
The inhabitants of 5,000 cities will be able to receive the purchase in their garages through Amazon.
Amazon Fresh, another part of the strategy
"Grocery is definitely a core strategy for Amazon right now, as part of its overall strategic vision to be more present in customers' lives and become part of their daily routine," said Rachel Dalton, director of the commerce team. Kantar Consulting email.
"Amazon is competing effectively in the food industry, even if Amazon is not thought of as a grocery store."
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The company bought Whole Foods four years ago, and has recently begun opening more Amazon Fresh locations, which also sell groceries.
Amazon opened about a dozen Fresh stores across the United States in the past year, and says it has plans to open four more stores.
Analysts on the subject say there could be dozens more.
Whole Foods offers more purchases ready in an hour 0:59
Amazon hopes that Fresh stores will encourage Amazon Prime members to make their grocery purchases through Amazon, increasing loyalty to the subscription program.
Delivering to garages "is just another example of adding additional value for Prime members," Dalton said.
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