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Amazon To Sell Its Own Private-Label Groceries (techcrunch.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the perishable-goods dept.

An anonymous reader writes: The Wall Street Journal reports Amazon will soon roll-out its own private-label brands of common household items like coffee, diapers, and other perishable groceries. Such offerings include baby food, tea, coffee, spices, and even laundry detergent, and will live under the brand names Happy Belly, Wickedly Prime, and Mama Bear. The products are expected to go on sale as soon as this month, available exclusively for Amazon Prime members. The idea to sell private-label products is nothing new for Amazon. It's been selling consumer electronics devices under its Amazon Basics line for quite some time now. They launched several in-house clothing brands earlier this year as well. In 2014, the company had to recall its Element brand diapers due to a design flaw. With a wider array of private-label goods, especially edible goods, the stakes are only higher, as one recall could severely hurt the company's reputation.

9 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. Most everybody else does it by reboot246 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    All the grocery stores around here have their own store brands, so it's kinda normal for Amazon to do the same. We know that Amazon won't actually be producing the items themselves; they're just re-branding stuff made by somebody else.

    I will still compare prices and read reviews before I buy.

    1. Re:Most everybody else does it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      When it comes to generics, reviews are pretty useless as the underlying supplier often changes.

    2. Re:Most everybody else does it by Frosty+Piss · · Score: 2

      Also: relevant to this discussion...

      Back in the 1970's, this sort of thing started to show up in stores.

      But also, look up "White Label" products...

      --
      If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
    3. Re:Most everybody else does it by _Sharp'r_ · · Score: 2

      Amazon monitors which are the most profitable products from third party sellers, then uses that info to decide which areas to come out with their own store brand products in. There are going to be a lot of unhappy household item sellers after this announcement, but competition marches on and it'll make them less expensive for consumers.

      --
      The party of stupid and the party of evil get together and do something both stupid and evil, then call it bipartisan.
  2. Diapers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    You should use cloth diapers instead of disposable diapers. All disposable diapers are made of synthetics and plastics and we need to reduce adding these materials to our landfills.

    1. Re:Diapers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      How about you just eat shit instead?

  3. Happy with my Amazon Basics by 0100010001010011 · · Score: 2

    I've been ordering Amazon Basics products for a while and been happy with all of them. Basic stuff from AA batteries to USB cords through baby wipes.

    They're usually cheaper than the name brand stuff and by time you factor in the fact that they're delivered to my door they're much cheaper when it comes to my time.

    Walmart can shove their "but we have the absolute lowest price" in my face all they want, but the convenience of not having to drive to walmart. Fight with the self checkout lane. Load my car and drive it home Amazon comes out cheaper. If any companies want to take them on fight them at their own game.

    1. Re:Happy with my Amazon Basics by Mitreya · · Score: 2

      Fight with the self checkout lane.

      That. So much that.
      How much money do they really save on removing a few cashiers? I won't go to CVS anymore, because it is always an obnoxious experience.

    2. Re:Happy with my Amazon Basics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I seek out stores with self checkout. Who wants to stand in a line of people who realize after everything is totaled that they need to pull out their checkbook and start writing a check.