Amazon has started a new beta subscription service that lets you set up a routine purchasing schedule for items you regularly buy. Think laundry detergent, cereal, diapers, etc. Although online grocery shopping has never really taken off, this new Amazon service has serious potential.
First, you get a 15% discount on everything – even if you only sign up for one month and one shipment. Second, shipping is free. Third, if anyone has the logistical chops to handle a service like this, it’s Amazon.
I haven’t seen any press coverage of the service to date (unlike Amazon’s Kindle launch), and I’m curious to see how consumers react. If this beats my Costco membership prices for things like paper towels, I’m in. (Thanks, David :) )
UPDATE: Just saw that Brad Linder covered the news over on Download Squad.
This is nothing new – Amazon has been offering it for at least 5 months (I know this because I have an item on a 1 per 6 months schedule that’s scheduled to be delivered next month). They may have expanded the selection and/or started pushing it more recently, but it’s been there for a while.
Did you get an initial shipment? How did it work?
I’d use it. I’ll have to look into this and see if I could save enough to make it work for me.
My mom is an even better candidate. My parents live in a lake house more than 30 minutes from a decent store so it should have some appeal to them. Especially since my mom’s a Sam’s Club shopper (loves to buy in bulk).
I’d love to see them offer this on their electronic products, particularly Unbox. If they can build a video equivalent to Rhapsody, I’d seriously consider adjusting who I pay my TV dollars to. A number of the network shows I watch are already on Unbox, and we’ve rented a number of movies through the Unbox/TiVo integration. If they can get HD content in there and a reasonable subscription model (I know, pie-in-the-sky dreaming), they’d have a winner.
This sounds awesome. I’m surprised that Amazon isn’t promoting this more heavily. I would subscribe, but it’s hard to get packages delivered at my home. It would also be hard to guess my usage on a lot of products. I know the number of razorblades that I’ll use in a month, but I’m not sure that I could predict laundry detergent. Still, it sounds like a good solution, if you are good at planning things out.
Every week I need 10 cases of Vault Zero…
Also, a Brad Linder sighting! – I miss his PVR podcast, he has the most professional voice in podcasting.
I’ve been using this service for about a year now to get the cleaner cartidges for my braun shaver. It works great, and you get an email a couple of weeks before the next ship date that allows you choose to skip a scheduled shipment. In addition to the discount, you get free shipping even if the item costs less than $25.
If they throw in a TiVo HME interface to manage the requests I’ll give it a try.
Yeah, I subscribe to razors once every 2 months. After the discount its about the same price as at a brick and mortar. Honestly the reason I do it is because I resent having to ask an employee to get me razors, so I’m punishing the stores for not shelving merchandise like they should. I’m not sure what else I use regularly enough to warrant a subscription.
I’ve been using the same electric razor for at least 7 years now without purchasing anything for it.
As you can see, anything that reduces the number of times I have to leave the bunker is quite interesting. I don’t mind going down to the garage or lobby (depending on which bunker I’m in) to bring a package upstairs.
Thanks for letting me know about this.
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