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Amazon Tests Two-Hour Booze Delivery In 12 US Cities (foodandwine.com)
An anonymous reader quotes SFGate:
Thanks to the Prime Now service, Amazon will now deliver booze to the home, failing house party, mundane family brunch, or other occasion of Prime members in the Bay Area. While Prime Now (a delivery service that comes with a $99 annual Prime membership) is available in 30 different cities across the U.S., the alcohol delivery service can only be accessed in a select 12 of those 30, including San Francisco... Two-hour delivery on booze is free of charge, but if you find yourself in a truly desperate situation, one-hour delivery is available for an extra $7.99. ID's are checked upon delivery by couriers.
A minimum of $30 is required for a delivery, which shouldn't be a problem to hit seeing that prices are slightly higher than standard for what you'd find in your corner liquor store. $26 for a 12-pack of Coronas, $15 for a six-pack of Angry Orchard, and $23 for a bottle of chardonnay, for example... Delivery hours match those of regular Prime Now services, which run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Amazon is competing with local liquor-delivery services in the Bay Area, according to the article, as well local services in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Amazon began testing liquor deliveries in March in two Ohio cities, then slowly began rolling it out to more, according to Food & Wine magazine (which has a complete list of the 12 cities). "Unlike other markets such as Seattle, which was the first to get alcohol delivery via Prime Now back in 2015, and Manhattan, which just got Prime Now alcohol delivery this past June, Portland can only order beer and wine, and not spirits, through the service. If Portlanders want spirits in a hurry, they'll have to hunt it down a different way like some sort of bourbon-loving caveman."
Amazon is also testing two-hour liquor deliveries in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Diego, and Richmond, Virginia.
A minimum of $30 is required for a delivery, which shouldn't be a problem to hit seeing that prices are slightly higher than standard for what you'd find in your corner liquor store. $26 for a 12-pack of Coronas, $15 for a six-pack of Angry Orchard, and $23 for a bottle of chardonnay, for example... Delivery hours match those of regular Prime Now services, which run from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Amazon is competing with local liquor-delivery services in the Bay Area, according to the article, as well local services in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Amazon began testing liquor deliveries in March in two Ohio cities, then slowly began rolling it out to more, according to Food & Wine magazine (which has a complete list of the 12 cities). "Unlike other markets such as Seattle, which was the first to get alcohol delivery via Prime Now back in 2015, and Manhattan, which just got Prime Now alcohol delivery this past June, Portland can only order beer and wine, and not spirits, through the service. If Portlanders want spirits in a hurry, they'll have to hunt it down a different way like some sort of bourbon-loving caveman."
Amazon is also testing two-hour liquor deliveries in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Diego, and Richmond, Virginia.
If you deliver too late, you can't keep the buzz going.
This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
I have 30 minute weed delivery in Denver.
Canadian prices to US soil.
*Yawn* Call me when they get drone delivery of booze.
If Dominos can figure out how to deliver a hot pizza, Amazon should be able to figure out how to deliver a cold beer.
Election night: "Sorry, we've received too many orders, the earliest is Friday."
Table-ized A.I.
... the best booze is the vintage that's been in your own cellar for at least 20 years.
No amount of technology, automation, amazonian logistics magic, or whatever else can change that.
Less snootily, it's cute they can do this, and yet another edge they have over the competition, but at the same time it's not something that's useful unless you're fantastically poorly organised, which is fantastically stupid and costly to you. And perhaps you really shouldn't snub the liquor store with the proprietor with decades of experience just so you can get your alcohol fix a little faster. Unless you are a clochard, but then what're you doing with amazon prime ordering bum wine? Oh, wait, you probably already are even if you don't know it yet, seeing how if it wasn't for amazon prime you'd shop at walmart.
The main problem with Amazon food delivery (and apparently booze too) is the cost. They need to make back their delivery charges, obviously, but the costs mentioned in the article are 25-50% above retail in liquor and corner stores which is already 15-25% above supermarkets. And the only reasons corner stores stay in business is because they accept food stamps as payment for liquor whereas larger retailers like Walmart don't.
Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
We've had liquor delivery in St. Louis literally forever. Pizza delivery guys bring whiskey with your order. Way to innovate.
Then I read "only 12 cities" and my heart sank...no fuckers...no -- DON'T YOU FUCKING DANGLE THIS IN FRONT OF ME AND SNATCH IT AWAY
FUCKING DAMMIT. Why isn't the CITY LIST on the post (click) LOAD FASTER DAMMIT!
oh shit -- here -- skim...fucking advertising elements - huh? why the FUCK am I on the dev BROWSER....skim....where THE FUCK IS THE FUCKING CITY Lis- -- oh there and YEEEEESSS!!!!!
THE END
A real true 15-second story from Tales of the Prime
P.S. I love you Jeff Bezos. I have loved you for many a year and you know it by how you fulfill me so very often.
Hookers & Blow can't be far off now! Really, its only the second one that's most interesting, and best done with your own chick. But I'll be ecstatic, Mr. Bezos, whichever you start with because the next is sure to follow. Besides, Clients. Either way WINNING!!!
That is way more than slightly higher than most places near me in the midwest.
vos nescitis quicquam, nec cogitatis quia expedit nobis ut unus moriatur homo pro populo et non tota gens pereat.
that is all they need now with all kinds of news around them....
Remember the era when eBay commissions were based only on the sales price? Half the products on eBay were a penny plus $14.99 shipping, $49.99 shipping, etc. etc.
This is pretty much the opposite -- "free delivery" for a product overpriced by 40-50%.
For years, I've been eager to see Amazon start delivering groceries. Their customer service, user interfaces, variety, etc? Hell yeah, I'm down!
Then I saw their prices. Jesus fucking christ. Absolutely ridiculous. Why would I ever use them when Krogers, Safeway, Albertsons all already deliver?
For example, one dozen large AA eggs are $1.99 USD at Kroger's home delivery service.
On Amazon, they're $2.99. That's a 50% price increase. And that's just on eggs. Want beef/hamburger/fruit/any fucking thing else? It's all like 35% to 100% more expensive. ALL OF IT.
What's the fucking point? With existing grocery stores already offering grocery delivery service in every city that Amazon already offers theres in, who the fuck do they think is goings to buy it through amazon?!
When I think of Amazon, I think of a store with more variety of products available than retailers with a physical presence. i'd be happy with two day delivery, but first they have to catch up with local physical retailers Total Wine and BevMo on selection.
I live in a small country in Europe and I can get any booze or wine/beer in 5 minutes at the nearest gas station at a much, much lower price or if I'm to drunk to walk or drive, any pizza delivery guy or China/Indian/French restaurant delivery guy will bring it with or without any food to my door in under half an hour at a slightly more expensive price without any proof of age and if he wanted one, the age is 16 for alcohol.
(more expensive than the gas station, not as expensive as in the article, Chardonnay is between 6 and 16 bucks)
I know the twin cities have had Prime Now alcohol delivery for over a year now. I wonder how many of the other markets are actually new?
You know its ethanol, right? Am I on slashdot...I thought this crew had more respect for themselves.
Since the summary mentions that this is being tested in Los Angeles, how can they not mention that L.A. already has such a delivery service and has for many years now: Pink Dot? I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest if Amazon ends up deciding it's more profitable to just serve as another front end for Pink Dot orders.
How is the Riemann zeta function like Trump rallies? Both have an endless number of trivial zeros.
LA is so much cooler than SF. Editors should give up on the bayarrhea.
Homer: "Siri, have Amazon drone me a beer!"
(seconds later a small quad copter flies through a conveniently already-opened window, dangling a can of Duff).
The only thing left is to switch to drones to reduce the delivery time.