Amazon stops accepting new online grocery customers amid surging demand

[Pluvious]

Source: Reuters

Amazon will begin to put new grocery delivery customers on a wait list and curtail shopping hours at some Whole Foods stores to prioritize orders from existing customers buying food online during the coronavirus outbreak, the company said on Sunday.

Many shoppers recently seeking to purchase groceries from the Seattle-based ​e-commerce company found they could not place orders due to a lack of available delivery slots. Amazon said it would have to relegate all new online grocery customers to a wait list starting Monday while working on adding capacity each week.

In recent weeks, it increased the number of Whole Foods stores offering grocery pickup ​to more than 150 locations, up from 80 previously.

Amazon announced Monday that it plans to hire another 75,000 workers for its facilities in addition to the 100,000 it has already hired to meet demand.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/amazon-stops-accepting-new-online-grocery-customers-amid-surging-demand-n1182671

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Talk about sign of the times !

I never would have thought they'd turn down more customers to capture.

We are living in such interesting (and scary) times !!

[SheltieLover]

1. I called Amazon a few weeks ago

to inquire about how their Pantry works & was told that they were not accepting any new orders due to ovrrwhelming demand.

The lady told me their "inventory system was unable to update."

I have checked a few times online & it states they are not accepting Pantry orders.

[BusyBeingBest]

2. I haven't tried to buy groceries from them except for a type of tea

that I can't always find at my local stores. That said, I'd still be supporting my local grocery stores, crappily-stocked as they are, because they are earning local paychecks there, at least. I also still get pet supplies from PetCo curb-pickup/delivery, because they have a brick and mortar store in my city and I don't want that to go away, so no Chewy for me. Scary for me is everyone buying everything online from only a handful of companies--when they can't meet the demand, and your local Safeway or pet store or hardware place has already gone belly up, what then?

This is a foreshadowing of what happens when people rely too much on Amazon.

[Demovictory9]

4. local stores have online delivery too. they are booked also..6 days in advance..

Target, walmart, Vons. all big markets are doing online and all are booked.

[Yavin4]

24. There's a two week wait for Instacart in NYC. n/t

[sfstaxprep]

28. Keep Refreshing

Have the order ready to go in your cart, go to the Checkout page, and keep refreshing.

At least here in CA, that has worked in getting a delivery slot within 3-4 days. Seems to work better in the morning.

Having the cart ready comes in handy if an immediate delivery slot is available, since you have to finalize the order right away.

[Yavin4]

30. Did that. That was the earliest open slot. n/t

[sfstaxprep]

31. Have To Do It Daily

I can attest to the fact that at least here in So Cal, there were slots that would show up.

You need to stick with it. Unless they're doing it differently in NY, supposedly Instacart is dropping slots during the day. Although it seems to happen mostly in the morning.

I wish you luck. May the odds be forever in your favor.

[LisaM]

6. Yes, you are correct.

In some ways, I think Amazon is a bigger threat than WalMart was, and that's saying a lot, because I've never set foot in a WalMart.

[EndlessWire]

32. The thing of it is

is that shopping in store can be overwhelming. Why? Well, I heard that Walmart was escorting people inside a few at a time, implying that there would be a line. Strictly for myself, I wouldn't be able to stand in that line without almost keeling over. I would have to bring a fold up wheelchair, and then what would I do with it when I needed to push a grocery basket?

It is not a sin to use Amazon. It's just that many people are stuck at home.

[ananda]

3. Interesting.

For two weeks I couldn't find a delivery window.
But lately I have.

I'm getting an order delivered this evening.

I'm glad they are expanding their capacity.

[left-of-center2012]

5. My local Whole Foods (Amazon) has delivered to me several times

I just checked and saw this message:
"Delivery temporarily sold out"

??????????????????????????

[Silver Gaia]

8. Same here.

I'm wondering what their criteria is for an "existing customer."

However, I've probably ordered more often and for a longer period of time from Amazon Fresh. Do you have Fresh in your area? That store is telling me "Delivery available tomorrow." Fortunately, a lot of Whole Foods items are available through Fresh as well.

I had given up on them altogether. Delivery times have been pushed so far out into the future at either store that what was in stock when I placed the order was no longer available days later at delivery time. Frustrating!

Maybe I'll give it a try again...

[LisaL]

29. You have to keep checking. Eventually a window will pop up.

[appalachiablue]

7. Amazon is the likely sucessor to the US Postal Service

if it closes according to a blog I just read. That would be something

[Silver Gaia]

9. I've thought about that.

Bezos would probably raise his hand.

I think Trump mistakenly believes shuttering the USPS would hurt Jeff Bezos and Amazon. I don't think he realizes that Amazon has developed it's own nationwide delivery service apart from the postal service.

[appalachiablue]

13. Maybe then Trump wouldn't shut the USPS, but the GOP

still wants to crush the employees union and have private vendors takeover the service.

[Silver Gaia]

15. They do, and have for a long time. Agree.

Trump is all about his vendettas, though, and I was just referring to that aspect. If his desire for vengeance aligns with GOP "hopes and dreams," he'll push for it more forcefully because he has a personal stake in the outcome, or so he thinks.

[LisaM]

16. So not only would Bezos not pay taxes, we'd pay HIM our tax money

to deliver mail that has been reliable and affordable for 200 years, and with workers who get the government benefits they deserve, all of which he'd rip apart?

DISASTER.

[Politicub]

10. I am so disappointed with Amazon.

We've been Prime members for as long as Prime has been available. Since the pandemic, there have not been any order windows available for food delivery. It's really frustrating since this should have been Amazon's moment to shine.

[rainin]

17. I agree. It's such a myth that corporations can handle anything better than government

I don't know whether Amazon is dropping the ball, or manipulating something. He plays the long game, so I suspect the latter

[Yavin4]

25. Libertarian arguments are dying all around us. n/t

[LisaL]

27. I have been ordering from amazon prime during pandemic.

In fact should be getting an order this evening.

[LiberalFighter]

12. I used a local grocery store for delivery a week ago and was lucky to get a slot.

They only had delivery. Pickup were all full. I had the last evening slot but they didn't deliver until nearly noon the following day.

This week I went with Kroger and they had all of Monday full but had open slots for tomorrow. Will see if there is any delay.

[durablend]

18. You're lucky

Peapod (Giant) here only has a few slots two weeks out.

I think people that are clamoring for grocery stores to shut down entirely and transition to online/delivery only need to understand that's only going to make things even worse.

[flibbitygiblets]

14. I haven't seen delivery windows for Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods in several weeks

Then it occurred to me that there are elderly and alter-abled people who really need those deliveries. So I'll suit up and brave the grocery store

[Talitha]

19. Thank you flibbitygiblets, that's the American Way!!!

[CountAllVotes]

23. Thank you so much flibbitygiblets!

I thank you as I am one of them.

I've had no help at all!

Finally, today, an order I placed with COSTCO last week showed up!

I have food again and it will last for quite awhile!

Again, thank you for being WHO YOU ARE! I commend you!

& recommend!!!

[DeminPennswoods]

20. Brick and mortar stores

Find what you want, take it home, no waiting.

[CountAllVotes]

21. Some cannot do that

Like the elderly and the immune compromised, they are not to go out in California.

So what do you do?

You hope to hell you can find a place or someone to shop for you.

If you cannot do this or afford to do this, you are quite screwed!

I had no food for close to 6 weeks.

Today, my COSTCO order was delivered thank god for that!

[EllieBC]

22. Our local stores are asking people to stop offering online

and to come in and shop.

This whole thing is getting uglier and uglier.

[Historic NY]

26. I had to use amazon to get soap.....

my stores were completely out of hand soap and disinfecting sprays among other items.

They had no lysol, clorex, or other name items