Google, your new fishmonger
The
search giant is getting into fresh grocery deliveries, joining efforts
by Amazon and Instacart to offer virtual supermarkets.
Google, no longer content simply serving as the front door of the
Internet, will show up at your actual front door -- with fresh peaches
and a gallon of milk.
The search giant started a pilot program
Wednesday in Los Angeles and San Francisco to offer same-day delivery of
fruits, vegetables, meat, seafood, dairy and frozen foods as part of
its Google Express service. The program already offers snacks, cereals,
drinks and other non-perishable foods.
"We've heard your feedback
that you'd love for Express to help you check off your entire grocery
list," Prabhu Balasubramanian, a Google Express manager, said in a
statement.
Mountain View, California-based Google has moved into
fresh groceries to keep pace in the race to offer instant gratification
to consumers, right in their homes. Led by Amazon's push into faster
deliveries, most retailers are now trying to find ways to speed up their
shipments too. Instacart already offers fresh grocery deliveries.
Amazon does too, and even lets people order a Domino's pizza by simply calling out to their Amazon Echo smart speakers.
It's still unclear whether these speedy-delivery efforts will be
another fad or will permanently change the way people shop, especially
because such services don't come cheap. About 15 years ago, companies
such as Webvan and Kozmo attempted rapid deliveries but crumbled amid
the dot-com bust.
While Google Express has a strong stable of retail partners, including
Costco, Toys "R" Us and Whole Foods, it is still overshadowed by Amazon
Prime Now. Amazon's ever-expanding quick delivery includes items ranging
from shampoo to wrapping paper to game consoles.
Fresh groceries
could help Google Express at least match some of Amazon's offerings in
Los Angeles and San Francisco. But it will still take time for others to
catch up to Amazon, as the online retailer keeps adding more items to
rapid delivery.
Fresh grocery deliveries start at $2.99 for
Google Express members and $4.99 for everyone else. Customers can choose
two-hour windows for deliveries, which are available every day. A
membership costs $10 a month or $95 a year. By comparison, an Instacart
Express membership is $149 a year and an AmazonFresh grocery membership
costs $299 annually. Prime Now, meanwhile, is available through the
$99-a-year Amazon Prime membership
0 comments:
Post a Comment