Amazon said yesterday that it plans to drive sales at its Amazon Fresh bricks-and-mortar stores by offering Amazon Prime members a 20 percent discount on select items.
“We’re excited to launch the new Prime member savings benefit at Amazon Fresh stores today, offering 20% off everyday essentials across aisles,” Jeff Helbling, vice president of Amazon Fresh, said in a prepared statement. “Prime members get the best of shopping, savings and entertainment every day from Amazon, and we’re thrilled to add another benefit to their membership.”
- KC's View:
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My question is simple: What took them so long?
It always has seemed obvious that Amazon - which has been singularly focused on driving Prime membership numbers over the years - could add a tangible benefit to the program by offering better prices in its bricks-and-mortar stores.
And, it has so much data that it also can send targeted emails to Prime members in markets served by Fresh stores to drive greater traffic.
I remain underwhelmed by the Fresh stores I've visited - they always seem like dark stores that happen to allow customer in. But I think this is a good strategic move that connects the stores to the broader Amazon ecosystem.
