CalItalian wrote: ↑June 2nd, 2022, 7:04 amThey've already cut back on the coupons. In the ad for the new Murrieta store that opened on Cinco de Mayo, the coupon has been gone for two weeks, although stores open longer now have a $10 off $50 (last week there was a $20 off $50 in the Murrieta Amazon Fresh store page, though, but not the ad). There is another $20 off $40 coupon that's still valid though that can be used at any store. But it's not easy to find. Kinda surprised they are pulling back so fast. This store isn't that busy.
The Irvine store was absolutely packed -- it was loaded with ethic families trying to use multiple coupons; the lady in front of me argued that her infant was a customer and should be able to use a coupon, too. Up until recently, crowds have been light, even with the coupons. I'm guessing people are catching on, redemptions are swelling depleting the marketing budget.
I guess it's been known for awhile, but my brother showed me an article over the weekend that claims eight Amazon Fresh stores are currently under construction in Metro Detroit. I'm kinda shocked that Amazon continues to open new markets with this concept... you'd think they'd build up the incumbent markets, to iron out the kinks. Or put this puppy to sleep...
Bagels wrote: ↑June 27th, 2022, 12:37 pm
I guess it's been known for awhile, but my brother showed me an article over the weekend that claims eight Amazon Fresh stores are currently under construction in Metro Detroit. I'm kinda shocked that Amazon continues to open new markets with this concept... you'd think they'd build up the incumbent markets, to iron out the kinks. Or put this puppy to sleep...
I think the goal is to cluster the concept so they have a critical enough mass of stores in a given market to use as fulfillment centers for online deliveries. These stores will never be top market share generating enterprises off of walk in customers (there is no way...).
There are multiple locations under construction in Northern California too. None have opened yet.
The coupons are pretty much gone from the California stores, no longer in the ads, and so are the customers. Like I could hear crickets yesterday afternoon at the Murrieta store. I still had a coupon that was sent to my email that expired yesterday.
CalItalian wrote: ↑June 27th, 2022, 3:20 pm
The coupons are pretty much gone from the California stores, no longer in the ads, and so are the customers. Like I could hear crickets yesterday afternoon at the Murrieta store. I still had a coupon that was sent to my email that expired yesterday.
The question is how much customer foot traffic do these stores actually need?
I also wonder if they should do more "pointed" coupons just to get rotation on perishables. For instance instead of storewide coupons, do department specific coupons. Still don't think coupons are a very good long term survival method. But it may be a means to at least keep the fresh/perishable departments better rotated so they are not sending out spoiled stuff to their various online order customers.
They could almost operate a quasi-outlet store for walk in customers while at the same time using the same facility to fulfill online orders of full price goods.
Since this is Amazon we can propose ideas that have no possibility of ever being profitable. Other retailers don't have such luxury.
Definitely seem to have come to the realization they can't keep up the coupons to the general public for long time periods. I wonder what will happen to their shrink.
Thanks! I'll hold off on doing my 99 cents/1 week Prime trial since I let my Prime account expire. (If the system even verifies that you are prime for the coupon...)
Thanks! I'll hold off on doing my 99 cents/1 week Prime trial since I let my Prime account expire. (If the system even verifies that you are prime for the coupon...)
I would almost say it is a bad idea to route Prime members to these stores for a physical shopping trip. Based on the generally negative reception most have had to the stores, it may hurt Amazon's image in the eyes of these Prime folks who otherwise have a positive impression of Amazon.
Oh my...what an absolute clusterf*ck...it was the most people I've ever seen in there (even with the coupons in the past, this location was a ghosttown)! Unfortunately I couldn't stop by until after work. All the sale items were wiped out except for corn and a handful of mushy avocados. I had to wait 10 minutes for an available Dash cart (the two checkout lines that were open had lines stretched all the way back). There were clearly many large families in there dividing up their lists. I might stop back tomorrow and pick up a few routine grocery items I was going to buy anyway (as soon as I hit $35 worth of stuff for the coupon to come off, I left). I highly doubt they are going to replenish any of the sale items that quick.
Last edited by mbz321 on July 12th, 2022, 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.