No matter where you live, there’s a decent chance Amazon factors heavily into your shopping routine. The e-commerce giant has become a go-to for easy access to everything from clothing and kitchen items to electronics and everyday essentials, often at the best price out there. But as the retailer continues to grow, it’s still evolving along the way. And now, Amazon has announced a handful of big changes that could affect your shopping experience. Read on to see what’s ahead for the company.
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1. There’s a new Amazon grocery line.
In August, Amazon made waves when it announced it was expanding its Amazon Fresh program’s same-day grocery delivery to include fresh and perishable items. Now, the company is introducing a new lineup of house-branded products called Amazon Grocery.
In a recent press release, the company said the new private label includes more than 1,000 food items, all of which are priced at less than $5. The retailer says this move combines previous products from the Amazon Fresh and Happy Belly brands under one new umbrella lineup.
The list of products includes dairy products, meat, seafood, olive oil, snacks, beverages, kitchen essentials, produce, salad kits, desserts, and more. The company says it’s also celebrating the launch with new items, such as freshly baked cinnamon rolls, refrigerated pizza dough, and fresh lemonade, with more products to come.
Besides the competitive pricing, the new lineup is also focusing on improved packaging that reduces plastic consumption. It clearly highlights ingredients and nutrition information with easier-to-read labeling.
2. Amazon launched grocery delivery with Winn-Dixie.
The company isn’t just bringing its own brand into the mix, either. Last month, Amazon announced it was launching grocery delivery for the full Winn-Dixie lineup, Chain Store Age reports.
The new addition will be available ot shoppers in the Orlando and Jacksonville, Florida areas. Specifically, the delivery area includes the towns of Atlantic Beach, Fleming Island, Gotha, Intercession City, Kissimmee, Neptune Beach, Ocoee, Orange Park, Ponte Vedra, Ponte Vedra Beach, Saint Johns, Windermere, and Winter Park.
To access the store’s items, customers can click on the dedicated Winn-Dixie page on the Amazon app or website. From there, they will be able to peruse the more than 16,000 items available from the grocery giant’s inventory.
The company is celebrating the launch of the new service by giving all shoppers free delivery on orders of $25 or more (whether or not they have an Amazon Prime account) for a limited time. Shoppers will also be able to attach their customer rewards number to their account to accrue benefits.
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3. Amazon has a new prescription pickup option.
Major retailers like Sam’s Club are making a big push into pharmacy services, and Amazon is no exception. Earlier this month, the company announced it was launching a new service that allows patients to pick up their prescriptions from in-office kiosks immediately following their appointments.
The company says the new amenity will launch in December of this year at One Medical locations in and around Los Angeles before eventually expanding to other One Medical offices across the U.S.
Amazon Pharmacy Kiosks will allow healthcare providers to send prescriptions in for in-office pickup that’s ready within minutes, with customers using their phone to complete the transaction through the Amazon app. All told, the company says it will help patients save much-needed time.
“As clinicians, we see firsthand how delays in starting medication can impact treatment outcomes,” Andrew Diamond, MD, chief medical officer at One Medical, said in the company’s press release. “The ability to know a patient is leaving our office with their medication in hand—especially for conditions requiring immediate treatment like infections—can make a meaningful difference in their care journey.”
4. Amazon is ending side and rear door delivery.
Dealing with potential package theft is a reality of doing business with Amazon. But if you’ve been relying on the company to stash your products out of sight from the street, you may need to come up with a new solution.
As of Aug. 31, Amazon ended its long-running option to have packages delivered to a residence’s side or rear entrance, The Staten Island Advance reports. The company said it made the decision out of concern for employee safety, citing serious issues such as dogs, unsafe pathways, and poorly lit conditions as their reasoning.
“Driver safety is our top priority,” the company said in a statement. “We are making these changes to help ensure that our delivery personnel can complete their work as safely as possible.”
In a message, the company reminded customers to update their delivery preferences. Shoppers now have the option to have parcels placed at their front door or in front of their garage. But while the move was made with safety in mind, some disability advocates were quick to point out that the change could be burdensome for some customers.
“The decision could make it more difficult for people with disabilities to receive their packages independently,” a representative from a local disability advocacy group said The SI Advance. “Many people rely on these alternative entrances to avoid navigating stairs or other obstacles at the front of the house.”
