Amazon has just announced a service fee increase for its Amazon Fresh program. This leads to fewer deals and perhaps even detracts from the value and value of the company’s grocery delivery program.
In an email sent Friday, Amazon said: Prime members continue to receive free grocery delivery on orders over $150. Shipping charges are $3.95 for orders between $100 and $150, $6.95 for orders between $50 and $100, and $9.95 for orders under $50. This service fee helps keep prices low at online and brick-and-mortar grocers to better cover grocery delivery costs and ensure we continue to offer a consistent, fast, high-quality delivery experience. Helpful. “
Before the change (at least in New York), shipping was waived if you paid $50 and were a Prime member.
Amazon offers to lower its rates if customers allow a 6-hour delivery window (luckily), but these upgraded prices could actually make things worse. I have. As Quartz points out, much of the social media outrage over this price increase comes from small/single-person households and low-income customers who rarely hit the $150 threshold. Additionally, the publication suggests that customers may “save money” by reducing or eliminating voluntary tips on delivery.
And all in all, it undermines the idea that Amazon Prime offers great value. Whole Foods (owned by Amazon) already has a $10 shipping fee. Meanwhile, the price of Prime increased from $119 to $139 last year. The service certainly offers a lot of perks (free shipping, convenience, low prices for generic prescriptions) and even includes Prime Video, but these extra charges and price increases ruin the potential savings for customers. may become.
The announcement comes at a difficult time for Amazon, which has recently experienced job cuts and the dismantling of one of its philanthropic programs. Raising the price of the company’s better prime options certainly won’t help them, either financially or in the eyes of customers.
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