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[goodcow]

http://www.thebookstandard.com/book...article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002726179

Amazon.com Out of Control: Now Offering Slim Jims, Honey Nut Cheerios, Kraft Easy Mac Snack Packs
June 21, 2006

SOURCE:Gourmet Retailer

Seattle-based e-commerce giant Amzaon.com has launched an online grocery store—a business that proved too complicated for pioneers during the dot-com boom five years ago, reports an article in the San Jose Mercury News.

Amazon quietly launched a test version of its grocery store late last month. It now sells about 15,000 items from diapers to Jell-O that can be ordered like any other product on the site. Standard shipping is free on orders over $25. Shoppers won't find every product at Amazon. Jif Peanut Butter can't be found on the site, but organic peanut butter brands are there. The company focuses on offering organic foods.

"The store was really a natural progression,'' said spokeswoman Tracy Ogden. She said Amazon will add more items as customers demand them; a typical grocery store has about 45,000 items.

The grocery store mainly sells products in bundles, much like those found at a Costco or Sam's Club. Late Thursday, the site's most popular items—which are updated hourly—included diapers, Lipton Green Tea To Go and Clif Bar nutrition bars.

"This is an umbrella and we can offer anything our customers really want,'' Ogden said.

Experts predict that Amazon's adventure won't conclude like Webvan, the Foster City-based company that spent millions on a climate-controlled warehouse network before going bankrupt in 2001. Unlike Webvan, Amazon is selling only non-perishable items. And experts say with the expertise Amazon has developed from selling other items, this adventure should go smoothly.

"They are a very good marketing company and have very good execution and delivery,'' said Ivan Feinseth, director of research at Matrix USA, "so you have to give them the benefit of the doubt.''

Overall, food purchases are still a small slice of the online retail world, accounting for just 1 percent of nearly $200 billion in online purchases last year, according to the latest Shop.org and Forrester Research study.

Some online grocery efforts have thrived. Peapod survived the early dot-com years and has operations in nine states and Washington, D.C. And FreshDirect, which delivers in New York, is another example of success in that arena.

In Silicon Valley, Pleasanton-based Safeway has sold groceries online for five years. Spokesman Brian Dowling declined to comment on Amazon's entry into the market, but confirmed that Safeway delivers to seven markets.

Amazon's advantage may come in its delivery platform, which is the same for its non-perishable groceries as it would be for any of its other products. The company, facing increasing competition, is second only to eBay in online retailing, according to Nielson/NetRatings, and is the largest Web retailer with its own distribution network.

Besides its books and gifts store, Amazon began rolling out new product lines in 2002. It has since added clothes, sports equipment, jewelry and gourmet food. Most recently, it added an emergency-preparedness product store this year.

 

[XMonkey]

OUT OF CONTROL!!!!!!!111

 

[davepoobond]

expanding your business? whodathunkit

 

[WalkMan]

It'd be better if they offered imported candies. Like the stuff they sell at Play-Asia.

 

[SolKane]

Now if only I could find the right dildo...

 

[the year 20XX]

Finally, goodcow. You can eat.

 

[Suikoguy]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0005ZX7XC/?tag=neogaf0e-20

2 used & new available from $6.19 :lol

 

[Ashodin]

finally people can just stay at their computers all day and never leave the house for ANYTHING!

 

[shuri]

finally people can just stay at their computers all day and never leave the house for ANYTHING!

And in your case, you get footjobs AT YOUR COMPUTER DESK. Thousands of years of human evolution and finally, we reach Nirvana.

 

[Ashodin]

And in your case, you get footjobs AT YOUR COMPUTER DESK. Thousands of years of human evolution and finally, we reach Nirvana.

Thank Amazon for it, :lol

 

[Lord Helmet]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0005ZX7XC/?tag=neogaf0e-20

2 used & new available from $6.19 :lol

Price: $6.19
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Ships from and sold by Gristedes Supermarkets of New York
Quantity:


General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios, Sweetened Whole Grain Oat, 27 oz
Other products by General Mills
Price: $6.19

Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days. Ships from and sold by Gristedes Supermarkets of New York.

2 used & new available from $6.19
Product Features

* With Real Honey & Almonds
* Excellent Source Of Iron
* 13 Vitamins & Minerals
* Good Source Of Calcium
* Can Help Lower Cholesterol

Product Description
Product Description
Toasted Whole Grain Oat, Low Fat
Product Details

* Shipping Weight: 2.00 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
* Note: Gift-wrapping is not available for this item.


Product features? It's cereal for god's sake! :lol
Dammit where is my gift wrapping?

 

[Spencerr]

I can't wait to find the cheapest deals on used food!

 

[jamesinclair]

Bah, here all the supermarkets offer online shopping.

 

[ronito]

That's wild!
Amazon you rebel you!

 

[Mercurial]

My parents use Grocery Gateway quite often. It's pretty great.

 

[Forgotten_Taco]

I ate used Cheeros once. Never again.

 

[Cheesemeister]

It looks like Honey Nut Cheerios can be added to wedding registries. It must be every bride's dream!

 

[the year 20XX]

It looks like Honey Nut Cheerios can be added to wedding registries. It must be every bride's dream!

I added a Snickers to my wedding registry at Target, just to see if anyone would go to the trouble of buying it, wrapping it up, and bringing it to the wedding. Nobody did.

 

[Greenpanda]

I added a Snickers to my wedding registry at Target, just to see if anyone would go to the trouble of buying it, wrapping it up, and bringing it to the wedding. Nobody did.

Hahaha.

 

[cicero]

http://www.thebookstandard.com/book...article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002726179

What is the deal with your weird obsession with amazon.com?

 

[cubanb]

can i get this with amazon prime? i got suckered into a free trial, forgot to cancel and now have prime for a year

 

[Solo]

Another day, another goodcow Amazon marketing thread. All is right in the universe.

 

[Naked Snake]

Didn't Amazon.com sell cars at some point? Why did they stop?

 

[mrklaw]

surely in the US your have online supermarkets? Its huge over here in the UK.

Although it takes longer to actually shop than just getting in your car. They need to license a FPS engine so you can 'walk' around your local store, because you'll know the layout.

 

[Beer Monkey]

Easy Mac is a great deal for people who can't afford Imodium AD.

 

[Darko]

pfft.. we had that along time ago.. http://grocerygateway.com .. i use it when im too lazy to go to the grocery store