Amazon (AMZN -0.40%) is expanding its in-garage delivery program for Prime members nationwide to wherever it currently offers grocery delivery.
Originally tested in just five cities last November, Amazon says the program will now be available in over 5,000 cities, making millions of Prime members eligible to use the service.
Image source: Amazon.
Grocery delivery was a growing phenomenon prior to last year's COVID-19 outbreak, but the global pandemic made the service a literal lifesaver for many who could not or would not go into public during the lockdowns.
Still, letting a person into your home to deliver groceries when you're not home requires a willing suspension of distrust. Walmart (WMT -0.53%) said it wanted to conquer the last 15 feet of delivery by offering an in-refrigerator grocery put-away service, but in-garage delivery seems arguably a superior option as it doesn't require giving permission into the inner sanctum of the home.
Prime members who use the service must have a myQ Smart Garage compatible door opener. According to the manufacturer Chamberlain Group, most garage door opener brands made after 1993 are compatible.
The myQ app is then linked with Key by Amazon. When ordering groceries, the customer chooses the Key Delivery option at checkout. Customers can be notified when the delivery is occurring and if they have a home security camera, can watch the delivery being made.
A Morning Consult survey Amazon commissioned found convenience was the main benefit consumers associated with grocery delivery; 70% of respondents said they preferred it to making a trip to the supermarket. Some 77% said saving time was a key consideration, too.
