Amazon recently launched a service in Phoenix that will bring shopping to a new level. Just as Amazon lead the way a few years ago with their Prime Service which provides 2-day shipping; Prime Now joins the menu as Amazon’s next revolutionary game-changer.
Prime Now allows customers to receive their orders in a few hours – not a few days – and the cost is simply a tip to the driver. Download the app on your smart phone and you are 2 hours away from getting thousands of items delivered to your door.
Phoenix joins five other cities as one of the six test markets. Other cities with the Prime Now service include San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, and Seattle. When people in Phoenix experience the convenience of Prime Now, their shopping behavior will permanently change.
The Prime Now service from Amazon has raised the bar for many daily needs purchases and with the holiday’s coming you can add in gift buying to the mix. Imagine being able to order household items, sundries, clothing, books, and more all from your smart phone. No more driving across town to a specialty store, spending your time, searching for a parking space and waiting in long lines to pay for your purchases. Once again, Amazon has taken shopping to an entirely new level.
While not all purchases are available on this service, thousands of products are available. The National Retail Federation reported that consumers said that 46% all of their shopping this holiday season would be done online and most of those from a smartphone, more than any other time since the group started tracking online trends in 2006. With billions at stake in sales during the holiday season this Prime Now service and others like it should be a boon to retailers who offer their products online.
For those that are concerned with shopping local, PikFly.com a web-based delivery service in Phoenix that caters to local merchants offers a similar service for those that want it now. Through the website customers can order from about 100 local merchants and get same day delivery.
Last minute errands, and running out of necessities will no longer require a trip to a store. While this may not appeal to everyone, this is a look into the next level of retail. Millennials are driving the “get it now trend”, and the Federation found that the 18 to 34 year old shoppers would be the most likely to take advantage of same day delivery options.
The bottom line is that retail sales are on the rise and online purchases are taking more of the sales pie. Brick-and-mortar retailers will win if they can capture more online purchases and add ways to service their in-store customers with multiple options to get their choices fast.
