I placed an Amazon Fresh order yesterday.
Email subscribers! There are a bunch of links in this post that will not work via email. To use the links, visit the post on my blog and they'll all be there.
I know, today is Prime Day and everyone else is blogging about that.
I do what I want, people. 😉
Anyway, I saw that Amazon was offering a $30/$100 purchase coupon code for first-timers, along with a free 30-day trial.
(Here's a handy-dandy graphic/link for you to get the same offer I did.)
Soo, I decided to give it a test drive for you guys.
Amazon Fresh costs $14.99/month, and is an add-on to your regular Prime membership (so you have to have Prime in order to use Amazon Fresh.)
Amazon Fresh offers pantry items and fresh produce and also refrigerated and frozen items like meat and dairy.
So it could conceivably replace your regular grocery shopping trips.
Shipping is free if you order at least $50 of merchandise; otherwise it's $9.99 for delivery. But most people are not going to struggle to come up with $50 worth of groceries, you know?
I poked around and added items until I had $100 in my cart, though, because I wanted to use the $30 coupon.
(OF COURSE.)
How are the prices?
I'm used to shopping at Aldi and also keeping an eye out for loss leaders at regular grocery stores, so Amazon Fresh's prices felt a little high to me.
However, they do have digital coupons that you can clip, and they offer specials on some grocery items.
Plus, if you have the $30/$100 coupon, that's like getting 30% off of all the listed prices.
Is it easy to order?
I personally find grocery shopping online to be a little annoying, mainly because there are so many pages of things to scroll through.
However, once you've placed an order with Amazon Fresh, they keep a record of your previously ordered items and you can select from that list to place your next order. Much less browsing required!
On the other hand, if you're the sort of person who wants to browse the coupons and sales, you'd still end up spending some time looking through those each time you order.
How was my Amazon Fresh delivery?
It showed up right in the middle of the two hour delivery window, and was left on my doorstep.
The bag with my frozen shrimp had a bubble wrap insulated bag inside along with dry ice, so that was definitely the most packaging-heavy of the two.
The other bag included frozen water bottles to keep my chicken sausage cool.
I actually kinda prefer that to those gel packs most places use because at least you can use the water inside the bottles. The gel is completely unusable!
The best deal I got were these Whole Foods organic lip balms. They were on sale for only $0.25 each! And they're made with good stuff like coconut oil. Such a steal.
And the tangerine smells so good. Highly recommend!
Anyway, there was definitely more packaging than you'd have if you went grocery shopping, mostly in the bag of frozen stuff. So if you wanted to use Amazon Fresh but avoid extra packaging, you'd want to avoid ordering frozen items.
Who would benefit from Amazon Fresh?
If you are more interested in saving time than saving money, Amazon Fresh would be great for you. As long as your shopping habits are somewhat predictable, you can place an order in a flash, skip going to the grocery store altogether, and use that time for something else.
(Related: If you struggle find time to get to the grocery store and end up eating out as a result, a Fresh membership could pay for itself if it saved you from even one take-out meal.)
If it's difficult for you to get to the store, Amazon Fresh could be a lifesaver. For example, if you're a one-car family, you don't drive, you deal with physical limitations, or you have a bunch of small kids, having groceries delivered would be much easier.
That said, if saving money is the highest priority for you and you are able to get to a grocery store, you're probably always going to be able to beat Amazon Fresh prices by shopping sales or shopping at Aldi.
I fall into that last category myself. I have tons of grocery stores near me, including an Aldi, and it's easy for me to get out to the store, especially since my kids are older and I can go by myself any time I want.
So, I'm going to cancel my Amazon Fresh trial before the 30 days are up.
Get your $30/$100 and free trial
Even if Amazon Fresh isn't a good fit for you long-term, the $30 coupon and the free trial make it a pretty great one-time thing to try out.
Amazon Fresh doesn't deliver everywhere, though, so check the Amazon Fresh page to see if they come to your home.
Click here to get your Amazon Fresh free trial started, and use code 30FRESH during checkout to get $30 off your $100 purchase.
If you don't already have a Prime membership, you can get a 30-day free trial for that too through this link.
I don't know exactly how long this offer is available or if it's a Prime Day offer, but it may end after today. So, if you want to give this a try, I'd do it now to be on the safe side.
Or maybe if you live 50 miles from the nearest grocery store?
I doubt I'll use this even though I WILL be living 50 miles from the nearest (small) grocery store and 95 miles from the nearest regular grocery store. I HATE online shopping, only reluctantly use Amazon for the many things I can't get in a brick and mortar store anymore (and of course, the reason I can't get them in a brick and mortar store is largely because of sites like Amazon), and prefer to source food from the farmers/ranchers in my area. Plus my garden.
Although I may change my mind when I'm faced with a three-hour roundtrip every time I want to buy cottage cheese. (Which is why I'm probably going to end up making yogurt cheese instead. 🙂
Oops. I meant cream cheese, not cottage cheese. Yogurt cheese replaces cream cheese. At least, that's what I hear.
If you live 50 miles from the nearest grocery store, Fresh delivery will probably not be available to you. I can get to a Costco in under 30 minutes, and Fresh still isn't available in my small town.
I live in Ann Arbor, which is a pretty decent sized city and close to Metro Detroit. It said that delivery wasn't available in my area. Just a heads up that this probably won't work for a lot of people.
Same here... I’m in a midwestern state, in a very populated area, and it isn’t available here. :(. Shucks, I was excited to try.
I was trying to figure out where Amazon Fresh delivered when I wrote this post, but mostly all I came up with is that they say to go to the site and see if they're available in your area. Which is super unhelpful information when you're trying to blog!
Oh I had Amazon Fresh for awhile- until they discontinued it in my area. I had a love-hate relationship with it. I had a newborn at the time, and it was the middle of winter, and I live way out in the country so I was the ideal Fresh user. I loved not going to the grocery store. I loved having groceries dropped off at my door. But basically that’s all that was good about it. In 6 months approximately 1/3 of my ordered were late, delayed, or never arrived. Fortunatly Amazon’s customer service is good, and they would refund me and then reship the order for free. But if I hadn’t been able to get out and was counting on the delivery it would have been a big problem. i often had produce that was less than fresh, and many times there was something actually rotten in the bag that then leaked all over the rest of my groceries. I often had delicate fruit or veggies that arrived smashed under heavy items, items that were were missing or damaged, I never once had an entire order that was correct. Amazon is amazing about refunds- and they would always refund me plus give me credit towards my next order, which is why I stuck it out all winter- I was technically saving money on groceries with all the free orders and credit. I intended to drop it anyway after the hassle, but amazon dropped it in my area first (no shock, they had to be losing money). But once in awhile when the weather is bad, or I really don’t want to go to the grocery store, I miss it! (I’m in a rural area, we have no other grocery delivery options).
I just checked my area, and it's not available here either. We also don't get things like Hungry Harvest. I'm hoping some of these grocery services expand to my area soon.
Another alternative in many places is ordering groceries through Shipt (or a similar service). They work with local grocery stores where you can place an order for a grocery store that works with them and a shopper will shop and deliver your groceries. The shopper will also communicate in real time about any out of stocks/substitutions. There is an annual fee but otherwise as long as you spend $35 the delivery is free (although its really great if you tip).
I love working for them because I have a daughter with a lot of health issues that cause emergency issues to arise without warning on a somewhat regular basis so I can't work a "regular" job. Working with Shipt I can decide at a moments notice to work and put myself on the schedule. The flexibility is perfect and the job is actually pretty fun. Plus, as a bonus, most of my customers LOVE the service too because it means they don't have to grocery shop but can have their order in about an hour.
I had a great experience as a Shipt customer aftery daughter was born. I only used the service for a few months because I actually love grocery shopping.
The customer service at Shipt is top notch.
Oh, that's awesome that you have such a flexible job with Shipt!
Amazon Fresh doesn't sound like anything I would need, and as KimN said, a lot of grocery stores are using delivery services again. I say again, because this is actually an old idea. My mom had groceries delivered, milk delivered, bread delivered, and a diaper service come to her door with clean diapers every few days, in the old days, too long ago for me to remember. She didn't drive so it was great for her, but these services were available to everyone. In fact, my husband, who is 65, can remember milk deliveries to his family's door as a kid. It's funny that we are sort of going back to that.
Another service I could try someday is having food ready for me in the locker at Whole Foods, but since I don't shop there as a main store and I tend to want to pick out my own produce, I may never try it. But I see people using it.
I have been getting milk (and other dairy) delivered in metro Boston for years. We have a wonderful local dairy. And I love that their products are in re-usable bottles.
Actually, I kind of have milk delivery myself. I order and pay for it online from the farm and one of their volunteer delivery persons picks up a bunch of orders from the farm south of my town and delivers them to a large town north of my town, so she stops at a closed store five minutes from my house on her way, and I get my milk from her. If I can't meet her, I can leave a cooler in my yard and she'll drop it off in my cooler. I never knew milk delivery was still available in some cities! And yay for glass!
Before my husband met me he ordered most of his groceries from Amazon Fresh. Prices were a bit higher but he was a homebody bachelor with lots of spare cash.
I ordered two orders of Amazon Fresh myself in emergencies like a dinner party in 6 hours and I have no time to run out because I need to be home for prep work. The quality of produce is pretty good but that might depend on if you tip the shopper/drivers haha.
I can see using a service like that when I'm older and grayer. For now, I want to hand pick my stuff. I know a lady who uses the curbside services at local grocery stores here, and it works out well for her after she's worked an overnight shift to just drive through and have them load her up. Then to home and bed she goes. If you're working a weird shift outside of home I think its a great way to get grocery shopping done.
I have never placed any grocery order online before. Hubby and I usually go grocery shopping as a date. We enjoy discussing what we're gonna cook for the week and pick up a snack or two that catch our attention (rarely because they're not cheap!)
I'm about to have my second child soon and might need this service. But I think there's certain comfort and fun in checking out the items at the store! 😀
I have a family member who uses Amazon Fresh. She's a single working mom and it works out well for her that she doesn't have to load her child up in the car and make yet another trip out after a busy workday or try to fit it in on the weekend. It's not something that I need- I too fall into the category of having a lot of really great grocery stores with amazing prices near me, and I'm home with my kids, so I don't need it, but it's nice that services like this exist for the people who need it!
Can I ask what recipe is the one w/ noodles? Looks tasty!
Thanks!
That's an Asian noodle dish from a recent Cook's Illustrated issue. I think it's called Zha Jiang Mian. It was easy and pretty tasty!
Now you should try Walmart's grocery service and do a blog post. 🙂 I have utilized Walmart's curbside pickup, and will probably start using it again in the fall once homeschooling is in full swing. The service is free, and you just have to order ahead of time (same day pick up isn't available). Everyone always says they want to pick out their own produce, but I have never had an issue with bad produce! One time there was an apple in a bag that had a bad spot, but I've done that myself! Really, the only thing I don't like about Walmart grocery pick up is that you get a ton of plastic shopping bags with each order.
I am a 70-something and cannot last through a whole Walmart trip of approximately 2 hours (with hubby's help) and buy 2 carts worth of stuff every 4-5 weeks. So we've had to make changes. I have started buying all paper products, canned goods, coffee, etc. from Walmart online. We buy fresh products from a small local store. And we order healthier items from Vitacost online. We still have to go to Walmart about every 6-7 weeks with a short list because they have items that our small local store does not (Doves chocolates 🙂
It's kind of a hassle to buy from different places, but it's working. Vitacost is excellent...you have to order over $49 worth for free shipping. Their customer service is excellent. Walmart online is good too. Of course I can't order produce or cold foods from there. You have to order at least $35 of groceries for free shipping. Their customer service is good too. But their website is not as user-friendly as I would expect. We've only been ordering from there for a few months, so I'm sure they will get better. They'll have to.
not paying $15 a month for Amazon Fresh. So many other alternatives to use.
Yeah, that's only really worth it if you're in one of the situations I mentioned (like not having time to go to the grocery store, having physical limitations, etc.) If you're able-bodied, not too strapped for time, and have grocery stores in close distance, it probably makes more sense to just shop for yourself.
I use Wal-Mart grocery pickup a LOT and have been very pleased. I work part time and usually schedule pickup for after I get off work. Sometimes I schedule the pick up for the end of the week and add to it as needed all week long. I have a done quick order very early in the morning and picked it up after work (though this can be iffy to get the time you want!)
I have usually been happy with the Produce they pick and our stores shoppers are very proud of the work they do! My only quirk has been that I like small bananas and they usually pick larger ones but I make it work.
I live in NYC and am in a wheelchair. There is exactly one supermarket (overpriced, meats not fresh, etc. bad option) and one Trader Joe's within two miles of my apartment. I have a neighbor who will pick up some things for me when she shops at Trader Joe's but I never know when that will be plus as great as trader joe's is, it just doesn't have everything I need.
I was never thrilled about the amazon fresh monthly fee (it comes to $16.42 with tax here) and it's absurd that you would still have to pay an additional sum for delivery if you don't meet the $50 per order to have it be free.
I tried a few years ago and stopped but picked it up again because with the addition of whole food items and refrigerated items (and frozen items) and meats, etc from specialty stores, it became more relevant and worth it especially if I ordered twice a month and met minimums.
Fresh also has weekly deals, free food, coupons (but not taking mfg coupons; only peapod does that). Depending on what you need, it can be a truly good buy. But you have to shop carefully. Prices on Fresh are generally less than our supermarkets and often seriously discounted.
As for delivery: Only once late and it was bad weather (Serious snow). ALWAYS packed well and most importantly, items are frozen and cold. (Instacart still does not deliver with any protection of refrigerated or frozen food.) They come in these easy to recycle and reuse bags but they will take stuff out and take them back if you don't want to keep.
The men and women who deliver are very polite and helpful in bringing things into the apartment.
LIke all services, it depends on what you would normally buy and the average costs and how much you can save.
Today, they had the$30 off $100 promo plus several others. I ended up saving 50% of my total bill, so basically, half my items were FREE!
It's clear from the comments here that the quality of service varies. Perhaps it's better here because it's so competitive and if you don't do a good job, folks will NOT reorder.
Oh, another great feature: Two hour delivery windows, albeit there aren't many of them and sometimes a whole day is not available for attended deliveries (which I get).
50% is awesome! And yes, your situation seems like a really, really perfect use for Amazon Fresh.
I decided to give it a try. Just like you, likely only for the 1 order with the 30% off of $100 and free 30-day trial. Disappointed though. When I went to check out and use the 30FRESH promo code. It said I had already used it. Not so, I have never used the Amazon Fresh. So- I emptied my cart. I may try to reach out to Amazon and see if they can fix this. Just don't have the time to pursue it this afternoon.
Thanks for the info though!
Oh, bummer! I'm so sad it didn't work for you. They're still advertising it on the page, so it ought to work. I hope customer service can help you!
Life is crazy right now. I just contacted customer service to make certain it was cancelled. The other issue was they don’t deliver to my home zip code. It would have to have been delivered to my office. Too much hassle right now. And, like you, I have access to several great shopping opportunities. I usually enjoy shopping and planning around the great sales. Oh well.
So, I just wrote a big long reply but then deleted it! Short story is.....I never knew anything like this existed! I am betting they do not deliver here( small, one store city). Also, Try as I may I am not an amazon fan. We do order a few times a year for very specific needs.
I do absolutely love reading your reviews on services like this and stitch fix and dinnerly( I think it was called?) hungry harvest etc. Love, Love, Love your blog and all the information you share! Thank you!
Aww, thank you for the encouragement!
Grocery delivery is so awesome, but I just feel like there are so much better options than Amazon Fresh. I'm a single mom with three kids and have been using Shipt for the better part of a year and it has been a lifesaver. I use it at least once or twice a week, and actually have had periods of time where I haven't stepped in a grocery store in months. Shipt is only $99/year and free delivery with an order above $35, so it's also a lot more affordable. I actually looked into several options when I was thinking of using this, and Amazon fresh was at the top of my list - I love everything amazon prime - but there were options that were just so much better.
I love Peapod myself. Great customer service. Fresh produce, quality meat and good selection. I don’t use them as much now that there’s an Aldi closer to my house but I would go back to them in a second if I needed a delivery service.
I'm in a well populated suburb of LA and its not available here. Wow.
Wondering if it’s a available in Illinois