I had my Amazon Fresh delivery this morning. I'm a FD subscriber (I think I paid about $120 for unlimited DeliveryPass) but tried AF since it's free for Prime members during this trial.

My initial reaction is that while AF does carry some gourmet-y items, they seem more like A&P. I'll probably stick to FD though I can see myself using AF (if they have a reasonable delivery charge that's not subscription based) if I need same day service.

My FD guys are really nice, they always walk the 3 flights of steps with me to bring my boxes to my apt door; AF did not today. Not sure if that's standard or not. I was disappointed since I had already added a $4 tip online.

Someone in this thread posted a pic - my perishables were in a clear plastic bag that was put into a Styrofoam cooler with dry ice, which was in the green bags. I didn't order any meat so can't comment on the mixing of products though I did have one Synergy Kombucha bottle in a plastic bag by itself put into a big Styrofoam box. Seemed like a waste of resources.

Other things:
1. they didn't have the Kombucha flavor that I wanted so they substituted in a different flavor. I think I would have preferred they tell me and not give me a substitute.
2. I ordered fresh veggies and while they were fine, they weren't as pretty and fresh looking as FD.

I was excited to see the big green Amazon Fresh delivery truck but he showed up in a white unmarked van. He was wearing a neon green vest to identify him as AF.

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Fine Fare Supermarket just reopened at 759 West Side Avenue near Duncan.

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Everything was nicely packed in coolers with dry ice. Also everything was separated, fruits and veggies in one cooler and meats in another. I was impressed that not one egg was broken.

How is the food packaged? I get squeamish when I see my fresh fruits sitting on top of raw meats.
Thanks.

Everything was great, fresh, and pretty much on time. They arrived 14 min later than the time they were suppose to, but overall I would recommend this service. Two thumbs up!!!

There is a Fine Fare supermarket in Jersey City? What block of Duncan is it? Google does not know:)

but after free trial ends you have to pay 300$ for the service. 200 for fresh and 100 for prime. unless they changed it in the last week or so.


on a side note fine fair off duncan on west side. clean. pretty good selection and good prices.

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Agreed. I switched to AP home delivery over FD given better selection and price for the basics (bread, milk, eggs, soda, etc).

Amazon Fresh looks very promising.

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Add me to the list of those curious to get a "review" of your experience. My only gripe with two FD deliveries were the prices of some veggies. I ended up paying almost $3 for a single zucchini. Granted, it was a rather large one, but it seemed really overpriced, even with the order discount. Regular bok choy was similarly over priced. Other things were really good deals, though, so I am definitely happy with the overall experience. And, despite no same day delivery, that actually works on my favor, as I was able to schedule delivery at a day and time that was convenient to me. I can see myself ordering from them every now and then. But, I can't wait until the farmers market comes back to Grove, as I much rather pick my own fruit and vegetables and the prices I will pay are definitely going to be lower.

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So far one of the best features is has it is linked up to some of my favorite eateries in NYC so I was able to add baked goods from some bakeries and also some specialty items from some cafes. The negative those items will not be shipped until Wed. I will let you know how goes it. I use to be a FD customer, but their items are just not worth it.

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I saw this today wondered how it would work. Let us know - I'm a FreshDirect groupie but will make the switch for same day delivery. I tried Prime Pantry (great prices) but the delivery times are a little long.

For those who have experience with both, how does Amazon Fresh compare with Fresh Direct? I recently used Fresh Direct twice and was generally happy. I didn't think their prices were all that great, but because of the promotional discount for first time members ($50 off the first two orders) I feel like ended up getting a great deal.

Online shopping is sometimes all you got if you don't have a car here on the South side. GV residents spend 50 million annually outside of the neighborhood. I have lived here for a few years now and honestly can say I spent less than $400 in the area since 2011. Check out the article below..

Matthew Speiser | The Jersey Journal

- On the internet, seemingly everything is for hire. Such is the philosophy of the burgeoning sharing economy, a system built around the sharing of human and physical resources.

Want to rent your car out for the day? Check out RelayRides. Looking for a dog-sitter while you go away on vacation? DogVacay has you covered. Traveling in a foreign city and don't feel like staying in a hotel? Airbnb will find you perfect strangers willing to let you sleep in their home.

Indeed, the rise of technology offers a plethora of opportunities for entrepreneurs and consumers alike. But perhaps the biggest market in the sharing economy is delivery services.

After all, having something delivered right to your doorstep is the epitome of convenience, and what is technology good for if not to make our lives easier? But with so many different choices of businesses that will bring you stuff, it seems like the market for delivery services is at capacity.

Union City resident Mario Ramirez didn't think so.

"The demand is still huge," said Ramirez, 31, owner and operator of "Munchies - Your Personal Delivery Service" which he started in 2010.

As Ramirez explains it, Munchies will deliver a wide range of products in Hudson County to any Hudson County resident. This includes McDonalds, Chipotle, products from Autozone, RiteAid, and CVS, alcohol, or even a burger and fries from the iconic White Mana on Routes 1&9 in Jersey City.

"We deliver all over the place in Hudson County," said Ramirez, who likens Munchies to a courier service. "But one of our biggest customers is McDonalds."

Munchies signed on with Jessica Quintana -- who owns five McDonalds in Jersey City with her mother Celest and 11 overall in North Jersey -- last October. Since then, Quintana says she has seen her sales slowly increase.

"We get about 15 to 20 delivery orders each day so it's starting to pick up," said Ramirez, who thinks all businesses will eventually need to offer delivery services. "It's good. If you can order a pizza why shouldn't you be able to order McDonalds?"

"There is so much competition around us with deliveries that it's good to offer this service," Quintana added.

In terms of the logistics, to get a Munchies delivery you must either place an order on their website, or call or text your order to 201-838-5535. The standard delivery charge per order is 35 percent of the total bill (or $1.75 for every $5). There are also additional charges based on distance, time of day (Munchies is available 24/7) and number of locations at which you need the delivery driver to stop.

The delivery drivers, who are private contractors using their own vehicles, will use their own money to pay for the customer's purchase and are then refunded plus a delivery charge when the order is delivered. Ramirez says most deliveries take between 45 minutes to an hour, although he would not say how many drivers he currently employs.

Meanwhile, Jersey City entrepreneur Michael Porada has found similar success in his New Bridge Laundry, a door-to-door laundry service that he launched in 2012. Porada runs the business with his brother, John, and works with New Bridge Laundromat in Bergenfield.

"I saw a need in the market and I filled it," said Porada who graduated from Rising Tide Capital's business program in 2014. "With the rapid influx of urban professionals inhabiting Jersey City and Hoboken, I noticed the need for a professional, convenient and reputable service that doesn't charge an arm and leg."

Lottery tickets could soon be joining laundry as one of the many products available for delivery. The state Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee recently approved legislation that would allow lottery courier services to potentially deliver tickets to customers at home, NJ Advance Media reported.

On a larger scale, the rise in demand has spawned delivery giants like Delivery.com and Instacart and apps like WunWun and DeliveryCircle, as well as college-based services like Crunchbutton and even alcohol delivery services like Minibar.

Minibar is trying to make beer runs a thing of the past. Co-founder Lara Crystal says that New Jersey sales have grown over 400 percent since the startup brought their alcohol delivery service to the Garden State in January.

In terms of market saturation, Crystal says the competition is good for the delivery business market.

"Consumers prioritize convenience and businesses will continue to emerge that offer strong value propositions," Crystal said.

As for Ramirez, he knows that many of the aforementioned delivery businesses offer the same exact service he does in Hudson County. However, Ramirez believes his hyper-local niche gives his business an edge.

"I grew up in Hudson County and I know the people and I know the area," said Ramirez, who runs his business out of his home on 17th Street in Union City.

He says this allows him to find new customers and new business relatively easily.

"In another five years we hope to have a lot more customers and a lot more businesses in general," said Ramirez. "There are tons of businesses that are interested.

"Like I said, the demand is huge."

http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/20 ... oorstep.html#incart_river

While Fulup worries about large chains, perhaps it's on line shopping that is the real threat to small stores. I've started using sites like vitacost for everything from Method detergent to Stonewall jams and Weletta toiletries. Significantly less expensive, bigger variety, no schlepping and no crowded stores.

Not sure how a fresh food service would work for a two person family, but willing to investigate.

On delivery service which is ripe for renewal, I think, is the seltzer man. A staple of NYC life when I was a kid.

Awesome, Amazon just keeps making my life more convenient.

Just made my first order this morning, the prices are pretty good. Amazon Prime members get to use it for free. Groceries should be here by 4PM, thought I spread the word.