Amazon Fresh shoppers will soon have to buy a lot more to get free Prime delivery
Amazon is scrapping free grocery delivery for Prime members on orders under $150.
Customers who have their groceries delivered by Amazon Fresh — and pay less than $150 — will be charged between $3.95 and $9.95 depending on order size, the company said in an email to Prime members on friday with
The new policy will apply from February 28th.
“We will continue to offer convenient two-hour delivery windows on all orders, and customers in some areas can select a longer six-hour delivery window for a reduced fee,” Amazon said in the email.
Founded in 2005, Prime has more than 200 million members worldwide who pay $139 a year or $14.99 a month for faster shipping and other perks like free shipping and free returns.
The company is currently offering members free grocery delivery on orders over $35, with the exception of New York where it’s $50.
Under the new policy, the company said shipping costs will be $3.95 for orders between $100 and $150, $6.95 for orders between $50 and $100, and $9.95 for orders under $50. Amazon Fresh deliveries over $150 remain free.
“We are introducing a service fee on some Amazon Fresh delivery orders to keep prices low in our online and physical grocery stores as we can better recover from grocery delivery costs and continue to provide a consistent, fast, and quality delivery experience. ‘ Amazon spokeswoman Lara Hendrickson said in a prepared statement.
The company has dozens of Amazon Fresh stores across the US and has opened a few overseas. Amazon has also owned Whole Foods since 2017.
The decision to impose new fees comes as the company tries to cut costs in a bleak economic environment. In recent months, the company has cut unprofitable areas of its business and suspended hiring at the company. It said this month it would lay off 18,000 workers.
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