What Is AmazonFresh? | Digital Trends

Going to the grocery store can be quite an ordeal these days, especially if you don’t have the time to squeeze a full pantry re-stock into your busy schedule. But the flip side of not loading your cupboards is typically loading your stomach with unhealthy grub like fast food and other junk. Luckily, there are many grocery delivery options out there that help to maximize your time and make healthy eating a lot more feasible.

One of the more popular choices in this arena is AmazonFresh, a service that the online marketplace first started in 2007. If you’re curious about AmazonFresh and want to give it a try, we’ve broken down everything you need to know about the grocery delivery service.

How do I get AmazonFresh and how much does it cost?

To get started with AmazonFresh, you’ll first need to obtain an Amazon Prime membership, which costs $13 for a month or $119 for a year. AmazonFresh is free for Prime members, as long as your grocery order is over $35. For orders under $35, Amazon will tack on an extra $10 delivery fee. In certain cities like New York, orders must be over $50 to qualify for free delivery.

At this time, AmazonFresh is only available for new and existing Prime members on an invitation-only basis for most participating regions. Invitations can be requested by web or mobile. This is likely a temporary move to keep up with the increased demand for nationwide at-home grocery delivery, and we will update this post when/if new ordering protocols are put in place by Amazon.

How do I place an order?

You can place AmazonFresh orders on the web, or by using the Amazon app (for iOS and Android) on your preferred mobile device. Convenient filtering options are available on both platforms, letting you sort by price, food category, local deals, and more.

A bonus for our smart home foodies: If you happen to own an Alexa-enabled device, such as one of Amazon’s many Echo speakers, Alexa will begin to remember and automatically your favorite and most commonly purchased groceries to your next AmazonFresh order. The more you use AmazonFresh, the better Alexa will get at knowing what you like to keep in your fridge.

What can I buy on AmazonFresh?

You can buy pretty much anything you would find at your local grocery store on AmazonFresh. You name it — fruits, vegetables, canned goods, condiments, packaged snacks, raw meat — and AmazonFresh has it. As part of Amazon’s Prime Pantry service (which is built into your Prime membership), you can even purchase common household supplies like various cleaning products, batteries, and paper & plastic goods.

Plus, you’ll have access to approximately 1,000 Whole Foods products as well, since Amazon acquired the organic grocery chain in 2017. Most of the products are part of Whole Foods’ 365 brand and fall under the categories of meats, produce, beverages, frozen goods, cereals, baking, and snacks. Pricing and availability for 365 products will vary based on your zip code.

How long does AmazonFresh take to deliver?

Once you’ve stocked your online cart with the groceries you wish to purchase, the site will prompt you to reserve a delivery time. You can choose same-day or next-day delivery based on what works with your schedule. You can also opt for “Doorstep Delivery,” which is a three-hour delivery window where you don’t have to be at home, or “Attended Delivery,” which is a one-hour window that requires you to be available to take the delivery.

For both Doorstep and Attended options, users can leave specific drop-off instructions for couriers using the Delivery Instructions text field, located on the order preview page.

Where is AmazonFresh available?

AmazonFresh currently delivers to residences in Las Vegas, Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and Washington, D.C. For those settled overseas, AmazonFresh is also available in parts of Berlin, Hamburg, London, Munich, Tokyo, and India.

^{If you’re not sure if your zip code is eligible for AmazonFresh service, you can easily check and see if delivery is available to your address.}

What other options do I have?

Here’s are a few other grocery-delivery options on the market.

• Instacart is a same-day delivery service available in many major cities across the country. Delivery costs between $3 to $7 for a single delivery, or you can pay an annual membership fee of $99.
• Postmates will deliver just about anything, from groceries and restaurant takeout to boutique items and rubber ducks. There’s no required membership, but for $99/year, users can get free shipping on all orders. Normal shipping costs and service fees are determined by vendor, your overall order size, and what items you’ve purchased.
• Walmart Grocery gives you access to a vast product selection that ships from your local Walmart store. This service is available for an annual fee of $98 in some select stores, but a majority of shoppers have to pay a one-time delivery fee of up to $9.95 per order.
• Shipt is a grocery delivery service that relies on shoppers who will pick up your items in local stores and bring them to your home. This service doesn’t limit you to a single store, and you can get free deliveries for orders over $35 if you purchase a yearly subscription that costs $99.

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