Amazon Adds 'Instant Pickup Points' In US Brick-And-Mortar Push (reuters.com)

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Reuters: Amazon is rolling out U.S. pickup points where shoppers can retrieve items immediately after ordering them, shortening delivery times from hours to minutes in its latest move into brick-and-mortar retail. The world's largest online retailer has launched 'Instant Pickup' points around five college campuses, such as the University of California at Berkeley, it said on Tuesday. Amazon has plans to add the program to more sites by the end of the year. Shoppers on Amazon's mobile app can select from several hundred fast-selling items at each location, from snacks and drinks to phone chargers. Amazon employees in a back room then load orders into lockers within two minutes, and customers receive bar codes to access them.

Comments

Conclusion:

[freeze128]

Amazon just created a convenience store. Wow!

Re:Conclusion:

[Two99Point80]

Amazon just recreated the Automat! Anyone else remember them from New York City?

Re:Conclusion:

[DrXym]

And the concept already exists. I use a courier that delivers parcels to drop off points consisting of steel lockers and a console that accepts a pin code. You authenticate your pin, the locker opens and you get your item.

The "convenience" of the system is I don't have to be at home to accept a parcel but I still have to drive to the parcel collection point to get it. So convenient in one way and not in another.

Like Circle K

[Jack_the_Tripper]

I do the same thing all the time -- walk a block and buy from a selection of "several hundred fast-selling items" without having to use an app or wait several minutes for my items to appear in a locker. In fact, the items are spread out all over the store and I can just pick them up and take them to a counter to check out.

Seems to work out pretty well since they're almost always busy...

Instant pickup isn't new...

[DogDude]

..I've been using it for my entire life.
1. Go into store.
2. Hand cash to employee of store.
3. Receive merchandise.

I like my method of "instant pickup" better for a bunch of reasons:
1. Doesn't require giving 2% of my purchase to Visa/Mastercard
2. Doesn't require giving all of my personal information, including my web browsing history, my social media accounts, my Google accounts, and the history of where I physically go, to Amazon.
3. Some of my money stays in my local community.
4. I don't need a fucking app or a fucking phone to buy a fucking snack.

But hey, what do I know?

Re:Instant pickup isn't new...

[DontBeAMoran]

But hey, what do I know?

Too much. You know too much. Get underground now!

Re:Instant pickup isn't new...

[edtice1559]

Well this works great if, when you get there, the merchant actually *has* the item that you want. If not you end up making a trip for nothing, wasting time, and still don't have the item. Better if those stores had a web site where you could check inventory. Of course even that's not a solution as it may sell out before you get there. So maybe you could reserve it online and pay when you get there. Now you have the Amazon model. Only they offer additional value which is that, if it's not in the store, they'll bring it your house the next day!

An efficient convenience store - wow!

[uncqual]

So, a convenience store?

However, perhaps it should be cheaper to run (so, therefore, prices should be lower???).

Some upsides:

1. No customer shoplifting
2. Less space devoted to stock (the items can be high and low and stacked front/back on the spartan shelves and not arranged for "presentation")
3. Less lossage due to products not getting shopworn or damaged by customers
4. No cash to handle or be robbed of (I assume it's all credit/debit card based)
5. Less product handling -> reduced staff costs
6. No need to train transient employees in "customer relations" (customers will presumably call an 800 number or initiate a chat if they have a problem?)
7. Easier to automate more completely
8. No interaction with a human

Some downsides::

1. Less opportunity for "impulse buys" at point of purchase (Slim Jim alert!)
2. No interaction with a human

Re:An efficient convenience store - wow!

[Guillermito]

Sorry to be pedantic but you just made a mistake and listed "No interaction with a human" under "downsides"

Re:An efficient convenience store - wow!

[uncqual]

You will also notice I listed it as an upside!

I consider it an upside, but I read comments by people on other sites who would consider it a downside. Some of them claim to actually use a human cashier manned checkstand instead of self-serve checkstand even when doing so takes them more time. One reason given is they LIKE the human interaction with a relative stranger. I don't get this -- I choose to meet my human interaction needs with people I select, not ones the manager of the local supermarket chooses. I wonder if, deep inside their empty lives, they like interacting with someone who has to be nice to them because they are paid to be -- perhaps they value both getting a dose of "polite" human interaction and also like being in control of someone else. But, perhaps that's just the cynic in me talking.

Re: Limited item selection

[PoopJuggler]

And in Charlottesville all they sell are white hoods and crosses. And Slim Jims.