Amazon expands high-tech grocery store concept
The Amazon Fresh grocery format has a new location.
In an email sent to Chain Store Age, Amazon said its newest Amazon Fresh store is now open in Eatontown, N.J. The 35,000-sq.-ft. outpost is the brand's second location in New Jersey and reflects the company's latest brick-and-mortar design, which it unveiled in 2023 in Chicago and Southern California. (There are currently 42 Amazon Fresh stores.)
The Amazon Fresh format features a variety of high-tech omnichannel features designed to merge online grocery shopping with an elevated in-store experience. These include fast grocery delivery and pickup options, as well as connected devices like the Amazon Dash Cart smart shopping cart, Amazon One palm-based payment, and Alexa kiosks in the store.
The new store features a selection of national brands, produce and proteins, as well as Amazon's private label brands such as Aplenty, Fresh Brand and 365 by Whole Foods Market. Customers can save up to 30% on 4,000 weekly rotating grocery items across the aisles both in-store and online every day.
The Eatontown opening comes about five months after Amazon closed a handful of Fresh stores, including its one on Pike Street in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood.
"We remain committed to grocery and will selectively open new Amazon Fresh stores as we see positive customer feedback on the new format, as well as continue to open new Whole Foods Market stores," an Amazon spokesperson said in the email.
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Images courtesy of Amazon. -
Images courtesy of Amazon. -
Images courtesy of Amazon.
Amazon Fresh – a closer look
Amazon debuted Amazon Fresh in 2020, in Woodland Hills, Calif. There are currently 42 Amazon Fresh stores. In a recent letter to shareholders, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy cited discount savings as part of the reason the company had a successful fiscal 2023, with results including 12% total year-over-year revenue growth.
Since November 2022, Amazon Fresh has lowered prices on thousands of items and tripled the size of its promotion plan to deliver what Amazon says is millions of dollars in savings to customers.
For all of 2023, Jassy said customers saved nearly $24 billion across millions of deals and coupons, almost 70% more than the prior year. In the first quarter of fiscal 2024, strong growth continued with Amazon’s net sales rising 13% to $143.3 billion.
"We offer great prices on quality items every day at Amazon Fresh, ensuring grocery shopping is convenient and affordable for all our customers," said Claire Peters, worldwide VP, Amazon Fresh, in a statement emailed to Chain Store Age in May 2024. "Increasing our weekly deals across thousands of items and expanding the reach of Prime savings at Amazon Fresh is just one way that we’re continuing to invest in competitive pricing and savings for all of our customers – both in-store and online."