Hey fellas,
The service you're referring to is called Amazon Fresh as you know, and while I'm not particularly fond of Amazon and some of their business rates, I think this is going to be everything that Peapod and MPB couldn't be, and I'll tell you why. Say what we will about Amazon.com, they know what they're doing. They have the financial capability to implement and try any type of service they want with little to worry about. They have the information/ do's and don'ts that came from those before them by studying Peapod and MPB. If I remember correctly, Peapod crashed and is no longer in operation (as far as I know) and if Amazon's latest endeavor is successful and it most likely will be, it has the potential to become the NETFLIX of the grocery industry. I don't believe MPB will be able to do a thing, unless they quickly offer something Amazon doesn't (whatever that may be). MPB could possibly focus on something specific, like organics, or maybe cleaning products, but Amazon is sort of designed to offer what really amounts to an infinite variety of products. This means that anything you find at MPB would most likely be found on Amazon. This is and has always been a fantastic concept, but all attempts at implementing it have been the cause of failure, either due to delivery inefficiency, cost, or management, but if you back something like this with a financial powerhouse, I really don't see how it can fail.
Versatile Delivery Time
Amazon Fresh is not only offering to deliver, but they're actually going to give you a choice of before 6am, or during the day. That already removes limits to the audience they are catering to. Although they're currently situated in Seattle, they will expand across the country so long as the service is wanted.
Selection
Based on local areas, the source of the food is going to be interesting, and I haven't figured out what they mean by local selection. For example, there are only so many retailers that carry Razzles gum, so either they simply won't offer it, or they will start establishing some warehouses that order certain products in bulk from the source. I really don't know how this part will work, but knowing Amazon, they will probably still offer a much larger selection than any of its delivery competitors could.
Delivery and Service immersion (free for some)
Can't beat the concept, so long as it is affordable. Sit on your butt and click, watch the food arrive at your door. We have discussed the coolness of this before, but other companies just couldn't get it right. You don't even have to register if you already use Amazon, so they have managed to squeeze the new service in an already established interface. There is also a way to get free delivery if your order exceeds $30. I'm not sure what the criteria is, but so far this is a lethal combination in regard to MPB'S survivability.
Beer and Wine
Yes.
AmazonFresh as an MLM company.
No, I don't think there will be any plans at all for an MLM plan, but it is how it will effect MPB that is in question.
