Amazon has always had a penchant for quickly delivering and implementing radical changes to its business operations to improve their overall service, and over the past 48 hours, the company once again proved their ability to change gears quickly. Amazon made three changes to it’s business operations during the same amount of time that it would take for an order to show up at your house using it’s Prime free two-day delivery option.
CNN Money reported that Amazon began testing a new program called Ship by Region, which allows Amazon merchants to choose how far they are willing to ship their items with Amazon Prime. Although the new program does not affect items shipped from Amazon-owned warehouses, individual sellers on the Amazon marketplace will be affected.
In addition, Amazon began delivering farmers market goods to Southland customers. According to the L.A. Times, herbs from Maggie’s Farm, Mangalitsa pork from Peads & Barnetts and black cod from Wild Local Seafood can be delivered directly to your doorstep with a simple mouse click. The new Farmers Market Direct program was formed in partnership with Fresh Nation and will deliver products in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties. Amazon will also test the concept in New York City before rolling it out in other sections of the country.
Finally, the company expanded upon it’s fledgling Amazon Dash program. As reported by Fortune, the company added 11 new brands to the program, including Ziploc, Hefty Trash and Storage Bags, Ice Breakers Mints, Orbit Gum and Mrs. Meyers Clean Day. It also changed a policy on pricing for the buttons themselves; although the technology costs $4.99 per button, Amazon will credit each account with $4.99 after the purchase, effectively making them free.
Perhaps not all of Amazon’s moves can make headlines like the roll-out of one-hour delivery, but the company consistently makes inroads to increase it’s overall value to customers. By expanding Dash’s product line, expanding shipping options for marketplace users and offering delivery of fresh and local foods, Amazon once again proves it is ready to adjust to the marketplace.