Amazon Pantry - Your online supermarket

They are over, the times when you had to leave your own four walls because of every little thing - in our digital age everything is now delivered directly to your order and comfortably outside the door and we can do everything at home that we don't feel like doing outside. Working? Many companies already work from their home office. Meet friends? You can also do it via Skype. Watch movies? Goes via Amazon. Shopping? Can also be done via Amazon. Don't you think so? Then get to know Amazon Pantry.

Amazon Pantry is an online supermarket and Amazon's answer for all those who live in metropolitan areas and have little time or desire to do the bigger and regular shopping. Or for those who just don't like queuing up after hours of rushing through growing supermarkets to work through the shopping list.

Bags carry adé with Amazon Pantry

The principle of pantry is kept simple: Via the shopping page you can fill boxes with a maximum weight of 20 kg (as of January 2019) and a capacity of 110 L with the desired items and then have them sent to you. So that you know how much space remains in the box, you can find out not only the price but also the percentage of the current volume of your respective box. So you can plan and arrange your purchases regularly and in the best case you won't have to carry any more bags or, even more unpopularly, water bottles.

Except for fresh and perishable foods, you can buy almost anything through Amazon Pantry. From candy, canned food and drinks to drugstore and office supplies. Once you've filled your box, you can either fill another one or complete the order process. As pantry has developed strongly in recent years, the ordering process may change in the future.

You can then choose whether you want a regular delivery, which Amazon usually takes after 2-3 working days, or receive your purchases for an extra charge on a desired date. If you feel secure, you can also specify an alternative delivery location where your purchases can be delivered if you can't open the door yourself longingly.

It is important to know that currently only Amazon Prime customers can use the Pantry service. You must therefore first register for Prime and then complete the purchase process. The costs for the online shopping experience are more than just the shipping:

• A monthly basic fee for the Prime membership of currently 7,99€ per month or 69,-€ per year (here you can learn more about Amazon Prime)
• 3,99€ for the first box of an order and 0,99€ for a second box
• or for delivery on request 5,99€ per first and 1,99€ per second box

With that you are with a galley order in the month with two boxes plus desired date in the most expensive case with 15.97€ alone for the dispatch. Of course you have to consider how much time and mileage you will save in the end if you want to treat yourself to this convenient way of shopping.

Of course Amazon with Pantry is not the only online supermarket - there are also German suppliers who also offer the shipping of fresh food, such as fruit, milk and meat products, and baked goods. Amazon also offers the shipping of fresh food in selected regions via Amazon fresh - however, the selection here is clearly limited and usually handled by large brands.

Online supermarkets have also introduced Rewe, mytime.de or Allyouneed supermarket - with many advantages and disadvantages. These include the minimum order values, the reduced offer depending on the region and the clarity of the products - clicking through ten different types of butter until you decide on one can possibly be less time-saving than assumed. In general it can be said that offers and ordering processes change relatively regularly, as online supermarkets are not yet used by the general population and are still often in test phases.

According to a study by Nielsen, about 25% of households in the USA already buy their food online. And the number is growing. This can be explained, among other things, by the long distances that customers in the USA have to travel to make purchases, but can also be forecast for Germany in a few years' time, as Amazon seems to be working ambitiously towards this goal.

How do I sell my products on pantry?

In order to join Pantry as a seller, you still have to be invited by Amazon. Being offered as a seller for Prime is less difficult if you can follow the demanding conditions for the program.

These include

• free delivery to members within one day
• a rate of at least 99% punctual deliveries
• the approval of the Amazon exchange policy (more here)
• a seller cancellation rate of less than 1%
• the processing of orders via SFP dispatch service providers
• the processing of customer service enquiries via Amazon

Listing as a prime product is worth considering, especially since there are no registration fees and you can expect an increase in sales of up to 50% according to Amazon.

Bypass the supermarket: Advantages and disadvantages of Amazon Pantry

Filling your pantry can be worthwhile if you know exactly what products you need, how much of them and how often you need to buy them. Prime membership and shipping costs could add up to make your purchase more expensive than buying the items yourself at the supermarket. It is actually helpful that you save valuable time and always have an exact overview of the procurement costs of your pantry. With certain products such as toilet paper or office supplies, as well as non-perishable food, this can make your everyday life easier. The calculation of the costs is essential to get the most out of your galley.

Furthermore, the range of products is of course limited to branded products, in many cases you have to leave the house for much cheaper products. You also have to take into account the delivery time, which can take a few days depending on the shipment. However, the offer itself is a first step towards a change in our shopping habits, which will certainly be followed by further steps. It is therefore advisable to accompany these changes and to get your own picture of them - for many households who already shop regularly on Amazon via Prime and do not want to use the car or their time for every toilet roll, galley shopping is certainly a great help.