Amazon to Grab Grocery Business, May Open Stores
Amazon may have plans to expand its grocery delivery service into convenience stores. According to The Wall Street Journal, the retailer may open convenience stores and offer curbside pickup to Amazon Fresh customers (the online grocery delivery service). Amazon Fresh currently offers traditional grocery items such as packaged goods, beverages, condiments, baking goods, seasonings and pasta, along with perishable items such as cheese, eggs, frozen foods, and meat and seafood to consumers in certain cities. Based on location, consumers would also be able to order items from local retailers. Through the new reported expansion, Amazon Fresh customers would order shorter shelf life food items via their mobile devices for in-store pick up, and items with a longer shelf life would be available for online order and delivery. It’s possible that Amazon will open one of these locations in Seattle within the next few weeks, according to the Journal.