'AmazonFresh Pickup' Beta Test Lets You Pick Up Groceries Without Leaving Your Car

[MacRumors]

Amazon has launched another grocery initiative, this time for Amazon employees in Seattle. The service is called AmazonFresh Pickup and it allows customers to order groceries from the Amazon mobile app on iOS and Android, or on the web, select a pickup time, and show up at the AmazonFresh Pickup location to get their items bagged into their vehicle by an Amazon worker.

Although it's limited to Amazon employees right now, when it opens to a wider audience AmazonFresh Pickup will be available to Prime members (who are near a location) as a free addition to their membership (via TechCrunch).

The service has no minimum order requirement, so customers can create grocery lists for dozens of items or for a single bottle of mouthwash, for example -- whatever is ordered will be waiting for them when they drive up. Customers can order fresh produce, meats, bread, dairy and a range of household items off of AmazonFresh Pickup, which currently has two locations in Seattle's SODO and Ballard neighborhoods.

Amazon previously tested out "Amazon Go" pop up stores, which let customers walk in, purchase groceries, and walk out of the store without needing to go through any lengthy check out process. That service worked by having customers scan their smartphone when entering, and the Amazon Go app tracked every item taken from the store's shelves and tallied it all up in a virtual cart, which charged a customer's connected payment card.

Recently, it was reported that Amazon is delaying a wider launch of Amazon Go locations to "work out kinks" related to the cashierless technology that charges customers automatically. Amazon is constantly testing out and slowly launching neat new ideas that could see a wider debut for its customers in the future -- like Amazon Prime Air, which has evolved from futuristic reveal to small-scale, working delivery drone in just over three years. With today's announcement, it appears that AmazonFresh Pickup is the next in line.

Article Link: 'AmazonFresh Pickup' Beta Test Lets You Pick Up Groceries Without Leaving Your Car

 

[macduke]

In the midwest we can just order online groceries from Hy-Vee for free if we spend over $100, and for a $5 fee if we spend under $100. If you order them early enough in the morning, you can usually schedule the delivery for the evening. If you order the night before, you can easily get them the next day. You can see things you've ordered before and add them to your cart again. It takes my wife about 10 minutes to grocery shop on her iPad every two weeks. It's one of the greatest things that has ever happened, lol. They've rarely messed up, and when they have, we've gotten a personal note from the store manager with a $10 gift card, and they replaced it within a few hours. We are quite happy with it, but I only wish they accepted Apple Pay and had some way to automatically order certain things.

I'm wondering—do you guys on the coast not have this yet? I would be really surprised if you didn't, but then I see articles like this making it sound like it's such a new thing when we've been using it for a while.

 

[MrX8503]

In the midwest Kroger and Meijer has similar services. The more grocery stores that support this, the better.

 

[slimothy]

This is kinda cool, yet very lazy. Plus, I like to actually go into the grocery to look at the produce and pick exactly what I need. You never know what these guys are gonna put in the bags. Maybe a bruised apple, or an older, less fresh one, etc. I think most people would rather pick out their own too. But I guess time will tell.

 

[doelcm82]

Do I have to be in the car? Can't I just send the car to pick up the groceries?

Back in the 60's my mom would just call Possum Wiggly's grocery store, and Possum himself would deliver right to our house. He'd bring the groceries in the kitchen door, and put them away for her.

 

[9052042]

I can see this as an initiative for the disabled or elderly but I think Amazon should focus much more on Amazon Go, with select stores of its own. But even more important to turn Amazon Go into a platform that all grocery stores can incorporate, while it takes a cut of all transactions.
[doublepost=1490714541][/doublepost]

Do I have to be in the car? Can't I just send the car to pick up the groceries?

I'm sure you can go on your electric skateboard

 

[nwcs]

Krogers already does this with far more items.

This is kinda cool, yet very lazy.

Try shopping with babies or toddlers. It's a sanity saver!

 

[Born Again]

meanwhile in an Apple world

"Sorry i did not understand that"

 

[DEMinSoCAL]

Don't forget to add 10 cents per grocery bag in California. Yet another Golden State ripoff.

 

[orbital~debris]

This is available in the U.K. already, from at least Tesco and ASDA supermarkets, and generally called 'Click & Collect'.

As has been mentioned, it's a service invaluable to those with small children, amongst others.

Click & Collect is an extension of the supermarkets' online shopping initiatives which have existed for over a decade, where grocery shopping is done through a website (and now apps), being scheduled for delivery by a dedicated van which includes refrigerator cabinets for chilled & frozen goods.

 

[44267547]

This makes me think of self check outs, where someone is given the option of the service. These types of services could be easily offered else where other than Amazon, but likely would serve as a secondary option, but not ultimately replace the actual shopping experience. I think it's merely a convenience factor for those who want a quicker option.

 

[ThreeOlives]

So basically it is exactly like Amazon Fresh works now except less convenient?

I went to the grocery store the other day for the first time in months and forgotten how awful it is.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

This is kinda cool, yet very lazy. Plus, I like to actually go into the grocery to look at the produce and pick exactly what I need. You never know what these guys are gonna put in the bags. Maybe a bruised apple, or an older, less fresh one, etc. I think most people would rather pick out their own too. But I guess time will tell.

I'm sure it could be lazy; "More leisure time for me!" On the other hand, if grocery shopping takes a half-hour to an hour (including "park the car," "walk the aisles," and "wait in the check-out line"), there are all sorts of good ways to use the time, and undoubtedly the most time-conscious, never-enough-time-in-the-day types will benefit - a bit more breathing space/less stress (until they find other ways to "productively" occupy that time).

Now, my Watch tells me the time I spend in the grocery store counts as exercise, but it's low intensity exercise; that time could be spent doing a more physically intensive activity (which I do anyway, but more is better). And if grocery shopping was nearly as easy as hitting the fast food drive-through, maybe some people would have a better, more affordable diet.

Will the stores take advantage of shoppers? Perhaps, but overall, they want repeat business. They're not likely to be as picky (literally) as some of us, but I'd wager they won't intentionally seek out the worst, either. For me, the disadvantage is the overall inspection - "Hmm, the asparagus isn't looking very good today," "the plums are hard as rocks," "Would I rather have two larger pork chops or three smaller ones at the same weight?" But for the majority of the items in the shopping cart, that's not a consideration.

 

[avanpelt]

My local Kroger has been doing this for a while. While I have yet to use the service, I know people who say it's the only way they buy groceries now.

This is the kind of thing where Siri integration could really shine if only Siri was smart enough. It would be fantastic if I could say to Siri, "Add my usual trash bags to my Kroger shopping list" and it knew that when I say "Kroger shopping list", to add it to the Kroger ClickList for curbside pickup; and when I say, "my usual trash bags", it knew what I bought from Kroger last time, checked to see if it was still available for sale from Kroger, and if it was, added it to the ClickList.

This is the kind of deep third-party integration that Siri desperately needs. If Apple brings this kind of thing to Siri sometime within the next year or two, they have a shot at having an assistant in their ecosystem that's actually worthy to be called an assistant. Without that type of deep integration, Siri is just the dumb blonde that does little more than tell the same jokes over and over.
[doublepost=1490716872][/doublepost]

This is kinda cool, yet very lazy.

For some people, it might be lazy; but for a good many others, it's called good time management. I can spend an hour at the grocery store and spend $200.00; or, I can spend that hour working and almost make the $200.00 that buys those groceries. Personally, I'd rather do the latter and let someone else roam the aisles for me.

 

[Born Again]

Don't forget to add 10 cents per grocery bag in California. Yet another Golden State ripoff.

bring your own bag. lol

 

[GeneralChang]

My local grocery store brings them to my house. I'm not sure why I should be impressed by Amazon bringing them to my car.

 

[lazyrighteye]

This is kinda cool, yet very lazy. Plus, I like to actually go into the grocery to look at the produce and pick exactly what I need. You never know what these guys are gonna put in the bags. Maybe a bruised apple, or an older, less fresh one, etc. I think most people would rather pick out their own too. But I guess time will tell.

6 months later, in a secure boardroom at Amazon HQ...

Jeff: "Someone ******* explain to me why we are ******* killing the Fresh Pickup concept?!? All of our modeling, research, testing, EVERYTHING pointed to an obvious win for a large segment of the ******* population. What the **** did we miss?!?"

Operations Exec: "Sir, it appears our major oversight was misunderstanding the complexities of our customer. Evidently, they have zero interest in bruised produce. I've already informed Randy Schmelling over at bruisedproduce.com that we're done. I recommend we go back to discussing our Blue Apron acquisition."

 

[slimothy]

Krogers already does this with far more items.
Try shopping with babies or toddlers. It's a sanity saver!

I believe it! Haha
[doublepost=1490719767][/doublepost]

I'm sure it could be lazy; "More leisure time for me!" On the other hand, if grocery shopping takes a half-hour to an hour (including "park the car," "walk the aisles," and "wait in the check-out line"), there are all sorts of good ways to use the time, and undoubtedly the most time-conscious, never-enough-time-in-the-day types will benefit - a bit more breathing space/less stress (until they find other ways to "productively" occupy that time).

Now, my Watch tells me the time I spend in the grocery store counts as exercise, but it's low intensity exercise; that time could be spent doing a more physically intensive activity (which I do anyway, but more is better). And if grocery shopping was nearly as easy as hitting the fast food drive-through, maybe some people would have a better, more affordable diet.

Will the stores take advantage of shoppers? Perhaps, but overall, they want repeat business. They're not likely to be as picky (literally) as some of us, but I'd wager they won't intentionally seek out the worst, either. For me, the disadvantage is the overall inspection - "Hmm, the asparagus isn't looking very good today," "the plums are hard as rocks," "Would I rather have two larger pork chops or three smaller ones at the same weight?" But for the majority of the items in the shopping cart, that's not a consideration.

There are a lot of "if" scenarios in that statement. I mean sure it might free up an hour of someone's day, but I doubt that it would convert to that person doing vigorous exercise instead. Sure the option is there, but most people will just use that extra time to play games on their phones. Which is none of my business, I'm just sayin'.

Also, that last point is exactly what I was going for. The fact that there's no way they would be able to know your exact quality standard for the produce. For me that's a deal-breaker because I am very picky as it is. But to each their own.
[doublepost=1490719824][/doublepost]

My local Kroger has been doing this for a while. While I have yet to use the service, I know people who say it's the only way they buy groceries now.

This is the kind of thing where Siri integration could really shine if only Siri was smart enough. It would be fantastic if I could say to Siri, "Add my usual trash bags to my Kroger shopping list" and it knew that when I say "Kroger shopping list", to add it to the Kroger ClickList for curbside pickup; and when I say, "my usual trash bags", it knew what I bought from Kroger last time, checked to see if it was still available for sale from Kroger, and if it was, added it to the ClickList.

This is the kind of deep third-party integration that Siri desperately needs. If Apple brings this kind of thing to Siri sometime within the next year or two, they have a shot at having an assistant in their ecosystem that's actually worthy to be called an assistant. Without that type of deep integration, Siri is just the dumb blonde that does little more than tell the same jokes over and over.
[doublepost=1490716872][/doublepost]

For some people, it might be lazy; but for a good many others, it's called good time management. I can spend an hour at the grocery store and spend $200.00; or, I can spend that hour working and almost make the $200.00 that buys those groceries. Personally, I'd rather do the latter and let someone else roam the aisles for me.

Let's see how many people actually take advantage of the time saved. Many will claim what you've claimed, but fewer will actually follow through. It's like a New-Year's resolution. No one actually follows through.
[doublepost=1490719884][/doublepost]

6 months later, in a secure boardroom at Amazon HQ...

Jeff: "Someone ******* explain to me why we are ******* killing the Fresh Pickup concept?!? All of our modeling, research, testing, EVERYTHING pointed to an obvious win for a large segment of the ******* population. What the **** did we miss?!?"

Operations Exec: "Sir, it appears our major oversight was misunderstanding the complexities of our customer. Evidently, they have zero interest in bruised produce. I've already informed Randy Schmelling over at bruisedproduce.com that we're done. I recommend we go back to discussing our Blue Apron acquisition."

Could happen. Or perhaps you'll just have to make an extra drive back down to the Amazon shop and get another unbruised apple, thereby wasting more time.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

There are a lot of "if" scenarios in that statement. I mean sure it might free up an hour of someone's day, but I doubt that it would convert to that person doing vigorous exercise instead. Sure the option is there, but most people will just use that extra time to play games on their phones. Which is none of my business, I'm just sayin'.

Also, that last point is exactly what I was going for. The fact that there's no way they would be able to know your exact quality standard for the produce. For me that's a deal-breaker because I am very picky as it is. But to each their own.

Your statement was far more absolute than mine. I'm quite willing to accept that human behavior is variable, therefore, I tend to make conditional statements (like "tend").

My answer to the "deal-breaker" would be to order all my staples for delivery/pick-up, and purchase meats, fruits, veggies, and the like in person. I save time, I maintain quality.

 

[avanpelt]

Let's see how many people actually take advantage of the time saved. Many will claim what you've claimed, but fewer will actually follow through. It's like a New-Year's resolution. No one actually follows through.

Eh, what someone wants to do with their own time is their business. If they want to sit on the sofa for an extra hour watching soap operas instead of wandering around a store picking out groceries for an hour, that's their choice. They're doing something they'd rather do as opposed to shopping for groceries so good for them.

If I used the service (and I haven't yet), I would primarily use the extra time not grocery shopping to get more work done since I work from home. Or maybe I'd go work on the lawn if the weather's nice. Whatever I choose to do, though, you can bet I'll enjoy it a hell of a lot more than trying to find groceries while simultaneously trying to avoid getting run over at the grocery store.

 

[mzeb]

In the midwest we can just order online groceries from Hy-Vee for free if we spend over $100, and for a $5 fee if we spend under $100. If you order them early enough in the morning, you can usually schedule the delivery for the evening. If you order the night before, you can easily get them the next day. You can see things you've ordered before and add them to your cart again. It takes my wife about 10 minutes to grocery shop on her iPad every two weeks. It's one of the greatest things that has ever happened, lol. They've rarely messed up, and when they have, we've gotten a personal note from the store manager with a $10 gift card, and they replaced it within a few hours. We are quite happy with it, but I only wish they accepted Apple Pay and had some way to automatically order certain things.

I'm wondering—do you guys on the coast not have this yet? I would be really surprised if you didn't, but then I see articles like this making it sound like it's such a new thing when we've been using it for a while.

Here in Seattle we've had stuff like Hy Vee for a few years (Hy Vee was actually a response to the Amazon Fresh beta when the market started opening up). Even Safeway does their delivery these days. To take it further we've got Drizly which does alcohol delivery (very dangerous on party nights). The big difference here is that you place your order, drive through and can pick up at your leisure instead of having to schedule it. So you can order and pick up any time of day. We'll see if it catches on.

 

[nwcs]

This is the kind of thing where Siri integration could really shine if only Siri was smart enough. It would be fantastic if I could say to Siri, "Add my usual trash bags to my Kroger shopping list" and it knew that when I say "Kroger shopping list", to add it to the Kroger ClickList for curbside pickup;

This. Exactly this. What we do in my family is use Alexa for that. We just shout out items to get as we find need and when it's time to either Click-shop or go in we review the list.

 

[Jeaz]

Not really a new concept, been available here in Sweden for many years. But guess since it's Amazon ;-)

Volvo actually have an interesting concept where you can get it delivered to your car, even when you aren't in it, and the car is locked. Not only groceries either, as you can get electronics and other goods delivered into your parked car. You need Volvo on Call though, and of course live in the pilot areas.

 

[slimothy]

Your statement was far more absolute than mine. I'm quite willing to accept that human behavior is variable, therefore, I tend to make conditional statements (like "tend").

My answer to the "deal-breaker" would be to order all my staples for delivery/pick-up, and purchase meats, fruits, veggies, and the like in person. I save time, I maintain quality.

I feel like that workaround will work just fine for most people.

 

[aristobrat]

My answer to the "deal-breaker" would be to order all my staples for delivery/pick-up, and purchase meats, fruits, veggies, and the like in person. I save time, I maintain quality.

Some of my friends/neighbors do that... have the staples brought out to their car, and now shop for their fruit/veggies at a locals farmer market.

They used to buy all of their fruit/veggies in the grocery store, since they were already there.