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Does anybody know if Amazon partners with large grocery chains? Seems to me that if Amazon.com was the last mile delivery/fulfillment service for already existing brick-and-mortar grocery chains, then they wouldn't be competing and maybe the grocery chains might actually go for it?

Maybe there is a first mover advantage for a chain who partners with Amazon. They could piggyback the service on top of the grocery chain's existing infrastructure and exploit Amazon's infrastructure and scale at the same time.

Maybe that way, the physical grocery stores could still keep their doors open, lower prices, perhaps be reduced in size and become more of a local warehouse.




Sounds a lot like the Borders strategy. It worked well for Amazon. For Borders? Not so much.


Good point. It seems like a non-starter all the way around because I'm sure grocery stores have thought about running this operation themselves.

References regarding the Borders comment:

- http://money.cnn.com/2001/04/11/companies/amazon/

- http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-07-19/borders-champagne-t...

- Google Trends showing Border's demise? http://www.google.com/trends/explore?q=borders%2C+amazon.com...

It's still amazing that one can't go online to order groceries and have them delivered from a local grocery store, especially on a recurring basis. It would be a nice amenity.

Does it really boil down to grocery store + eCommerce = politically/financially/practically hard problem? Seems like there must be some solution that would work.


Many stores already do run similar operations themselves, in fact. Both Safeway and Giant do around here (northern VA), for example.


I don't think amazon would want to trust a third party with a new venture


In Seattle, they have been partnering with small specialty retail shops, bakeries and restaurants.

Some examples: Pike Place Fish co, Top Pot Doughnuts, Trophy Cupcakes, Macrina Bakery, Beecher's cheese.

Now I'm all hungry. Thanks.




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