Amazon Debuts 'Instant Pickup' for Ordering and Picking Up Items in Under Two Minutes

[Makosuke]

Kind of reminds me of something called The Automat in NYC when I was a boy.

Beat me to it. I was going to say, "Amazon rediscovered the Automat!"

 

[arkitect]

There really isn't tho.

Everybody with prime can choose between 2-day free and regular free shipping. What percentage do we imagine opt out of free 2-day shipping because they enjoy a longer wait?

Shall we request a 100-day option? That'd be so much fun

Goodness.
YMMV as always…

 

[JRobinsonJr]

Can't wait to make it a combo with fries and a drink

Don't forget the beer!
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There really isn't tho.

Everybody with prime can choose between 2-day free and regular free shipping. What percentage do we imagine opt out of free 2-day shipping because they enjoy a longer wait?

Shall we request a 100-day option? That'd be so much fun

Actually, they've been offering some useful discounts in exchange for going with the 'normal' shipping (4-5 days). For those items that I simply don't need quickly it's a fair and equitable exchange.

 

[coffeemadmanUK]

Because you're not sure the store has the exact item you want....if not, it's a wasted trip.

A lot of stores have the ability to see what stock they have now.

 

[Commentist]

Can't ever remember going to Argos and being done in two minutes!

However I've been to a normal shop 1000's of times and been out with what I want quicker.

Like others have said I prefer to order online and get it delivered to my house.

I also plan ahead so I don't need a delivery in two minutes.

If you use the online payment system before going to the store to pickup your item, the Argos system is pretty fast (enter your code
at the terminal and the order appears at the desk in a minute or so). If I'm in town, I'm usually time-limited, and I can make my choice/read the reviews before ordering, so this works well for me. The Amazon system sounds similar.

Deliveries can also sometimes be a pain: I currently have a Hermes delivery circling the county trying to find my house... That order is now two days late. Sometimes I have to rearrange delivery and collect the item from my "local" delivery office anyway. That's rarely convenient.

 

[Apple fanboy]

If you use the online payment system before going to the store to pickup your item, the Argos system is pretty fast (enter your code
at the terminal and the order appears at the desk in a minute or so). If I'm in town, I'm usually time-limited, and I can make my choice/read the reviews before ordering, so this works well for me. The Amazon system sounds similar.

Deliveries can also sometimes be a pain: I currently have a Hermes delivery circling the county trying to find my house... That order is now two days late. Sometimes I have to rearrange delivery and collect the item from my "local" delivery office anyway. That's rarely convenient.

Appear at the desk seems like a quick thing to say. My experience has been somewhat different.

 

[fhall1]

A lot of stores have the ability to see what stock they have now.

Yes - and a lot of them can't be trusted to be accurate.

 

[rhett7660]

I can't wait for the day Amazon deliver my order before I've placed it.

"I am thinking I would like a..... bam knock on the door. Wooooo I didn't want a new TV. Yes you did and hear you go."

Right around the corner!!!

 

[CarlJ]

Users can then place an order, decide on an Instant Pickup location, and then go to the retail store to pick it up from a self-service locker.

Or, you could go to the store and buy the item off the shelf?

Took me a second, though, to figure out what they were offering with immediate availability was "snacks", not, "cute college student".
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The sole reason I order things on Amazon is because I want delivery. I would much rather wait two days than be bothered driving to the pickup location.

I frequently buy something from Amazon that I would have liked to have today, and could have probably purchased in-town if I could figure out what store had it. There's a big business opportunity here for local stores (in each community) to collectively put their inventories online - if I could go to two sites, Amazon, and (hypothetical) LocalShopping, and find from LocalShopping that a store 5 miles away had the item that I want right now, on the shelf, I would gladly drive to that store to buy the item even if it was a few dollars more than Amazon, because right now (sure, other times waiting a day or two isn't a big deal and Amazon wins out). As it is, there's a supermarket and a (24hr) RiteAid within (very) easy walking distance, and my algorithm frequently is: if needed thing is available at supermarket/RiteAid/HomeDepot/Target: go get it; otherwise: order from Amazon. If (all/most) local stores had a unified way to search their inventory (no, not by going to/navigating seventeen different store-specific websites), I'd buy a lot more things locally.

 

[0388631]

Excellent. I was just discussing delivery services like Fresh, Instacart, et al. with another user in private a few days ago. Quality services, but some items are best left picked out on your own. Other major retailers have always had a "Order and Pickup at Store" option. I can think of one Amazon competitor that offers it.
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Took me a second, though, to figure out what they were offering with immediate availability was "snacks", not, "cute college student".

Alarming post, but...

The essential items include snacks, drinks, electronics, and Amazon's own devices.

I'd imagine the service would allow you to pickup a AiO sound system or more. I suspect they'll offer more options as the program matures.
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"I am thinking I would like a..... bam knock on the door. Wooooo I didn't want a new TV. Yes you did and hear you go."

Right around the corner!!!

Question is, would your wife believe you?