No Aisle Recall At The Drive-In Groceries

A soon to be tenant in a Sunnyvale, California strip mall named Amazon.com has asked the city’s zoning department for approval on a retail use where users would pre-order groceries online then select a 15-minute to 2-hour pick up time horizon. According to the applicant, the customer either can drive into a designated pick-up area with parking stalls, where the purchased items will be delivered to their cars, or they can arrive on foot or bicycle and pick up their items in the store.

Yes, this is the same Seattle-based ecommerce giant where many Americans purchase everything from toasters to cars.

Imagine that. It used to be all about bricks and mortar retail businesses going digital to expand its markets and facilitate transactions for its customers. Have we gone full circle? Has ecommerce become so strong that it now can create and sustain bricks and mortar businesses? Apparently, Amazon thinks so. Capitalizing on its understanding of the on-the-go American consumer, with little time to waste, it believes it can leverage its brand equity and the consumer’s need for speed to deliver an online groceries order product.

Would you buy fruits and vegetables without holding them in your hand or gently squeezing those soft spots? I’m sure they’ll offer an opportunity for returns and/or alternative selections once you arrive on site and have an opportunity to inspect what you’ve purchased. Nevertheless, for all of the success and equity this brand enjoys, the groceries business does seem like somewhat of a hard nut to crack.