Amazon just launched its household delivery service called Amazon Pantry in the U.K., more than a year after the company debuted a similar program in the U.S.
The biggest difference with the European version is that Amazon guarantees next day delivery for a flat-rate £2.99, which translates into less than the $5.99 it charges for standard ground shipping in the U.S. Also, additional boxes in the U.K. cost just £0.99, which isn’t an option here.
Like the company’s other special delivery services, Amazon Pantry is only available to those who pay for an annual Prime membership. You get a box to fill with 20 kilograms of household goods, from bottled water, to shampoo and potato chips. Amazon tells you when it’s full as you shop. You pay for the groceries and the box shows up on your doorstep the following day.
The rollout represents the e-commerce giant’s most recent experiment in the delivery of groceries and household itrms, as the company continues to search for the magic bullet while it plays with a range of different business models in different markets.
The company just started charging $299 per year to use its AmazonFresh same-day grocery delivery service in Seattle, New York City, Philadelphia and California. It has also launched Prime Now‘s $7.99 one-hour delivery in more than 20 markets, including alcohol and restaurant drop off in Seattle.
Grocery delivery is already popular in Europe, and it’s gaining traction in the U.S. It’s a tough market with narrow margins and plenty of logistical hurdles, but it seems to be a business Amazon is determined to figure out.
