Morrisons and Amazon have announced that soon hundreds of Morrisons products will be available to Amazon Prime Now and Amazon Pantry customers.
Morrisons will provide a wholesale supply service to Amazon, allowing Amazon’s customers access to a wide range of Morrisons ambient, fresh and frozen products.
Morrisons have also agreed in principle with Ocado for Morrisons to take space in Ocado’s new Customer Fulfilment Centre in Erith, and Ocado delivering a store pick solution for Morrisons. This will enable Morrisons to serve the whole of the UK, including importantly the North and Scotland where Morrisons traditionally has a stronger physical store presence.
What’s interesting about the Amazon deal is that Morrisons may not make super high margins, especially bearing in mind that supermarkets traditionally have high turnover and low margins. For instance a box of 12 Whiskers cat food sachets retails at Morrisons for £3.00 (reduced on special offer from £3.67) . The same product is available on Amazon Pantry for just £2.50 and that’s not a special deal.
Of course Morrisons isn’t likely to the the only supplier to Amazon Pantry so won’t have to slash their prices on everything and certainly won’t have to compete on their own brand products. We know how Amazon operate however with their obsession in delivering value to consumers and even if price matching Morrisons with Amazon Pantry, Amazon will likely be taking a commission.
If however Morrisons customers start shopping on Amazon for Morrisons own brand products and discover that brands such as Whiskers are cheaper on Amazon, will they ever go back to purchase on Morrisons.com or will they just stick with Amazon Pantry?
Realistically however Morrisons don’t have a lot to lose. They are the last of the major supermarkets to sell online with home delivery and if Amazon propels their sales upwards it can only be good for the company, even if margins are razor thin. More importantly the deal will send a shot across the bow to the larger supermarkets that Amazon are serious about growing Amazon Pantry and that Amazon intend to be a serious contender in the online food delivery business.
6 Responses
At least it isn’t Yodel delivering the groceries – don’t fancy them thrown over my back fence.
With Sainsbury bidding for Argos what chance Amazon eventually bidding for Morrisons? Morrisons could then be rebranded Amazon Pantry which would give Amazon a massive high street presence. ebay do seem to have a lack of a clear strategy when compared to Amazon and there is a sense that online marketplace growth has peaked for the incumbents and those who actually sell their own stuff online are now moving into bricks and mortar to cement their brand. One clear ebay strategy is to squeeze existing sellers until their pips squeak.
Another clear hit from amazon. Wonder what else is coming in 2016!
The way Amazon is pushing forward is scary, they are a monster just getting bigger and bigger. We noticed our Amazon sales had dropped recently and after some research discovered it is because they are stock one of our biggest brands and all the best sellers, but of course at discounted prices.
How will Amazon deliver the frozen items?
The problem for sellers are that Pantry is gated and Amazon have taken to moving high ranking ASINs into it even though they might be your ASINs, once in Pantry category if the item goes out of stock then Amazon customers are deprived from buying it. This is the same old story, sellers build listings and get them ranking through competitive endeavours then Amazon decide to Prime them up and blow all other sellers out of the frame.