My bet is this will be very similar to Walmart Neighborhood Market. About the size of a drug store, will stock grocery essentials, and will have lower prices than traditional grocery stores (Safeway/VONS, Ralphs, Albertsons, QFC, etc.)<p>A store like this might allow them to more cost effectively fulfill small items (deodorant, a pack of pens, batteries, aspirin, candy bars, etc.) by shipping from the store to your home.
Here's what we know:<p>* Will open in the Woodland Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, 2008 median household income was USD 93,720 [1]. I don't expect a discount-type store.<p>* The Wall Street Journal says they're working on more stores, but this is the only one that Amazon has confirmed. Personally, I see this as more of an experiment at this point, even if a few more store open with this format.<p>* Amazon is obsessed with the last-mile(s), in particular on same-day delivery. (Witness their last earnings report.) I'd look at this store as a test-bed for last-mile/same-day... Perhaps they'll double or triple the size of the Amazon Fresh areas over what we see now in Whole Foods, for example.<p>[1] <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodland_Hills,_Los_Angeles#Population" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodland_Hills,_Los_Angeles#Po...</a>
This is one of their requirements for Grocery Associate<p>"You are comfortable working in a physical environment. You have the ability to lift up to 49 pounds and be on your feet for a shift, up to 10 hours at a time with or without reasonable accommodation"<p>They sure don't sugar coat it.<p>"We are hiring for full-time, part-time, and flex-time positions. Pay starts at $15.35 per hour with benefits available."<p>At least they have benefits.
I hope it’s doesn't copy “Amazon Basics”. Cus that stuff is worse than no frills brands. It’s okay for things where you have to actively sabotage something to make it poorly like wire shelves or something, but anything where cheapness shows up it’s like a cheap suit from J.C. Penney’s. <<shudder>>
This should be interesting. I’m sure they learned some things from the Whole Foods acquisition that should allow them to be competitive with Walmart and friends. Has amazon ever done well with any sort of B&M?