Shop, watch and eat: Amazon adds food delivery for Prime members

Amazon has inked a deal with food delivery app DoorDash to give Prime members free delivery as the e-commerce giant steps up the battle to own the delivery space.

Amazon has partnered with food delivery app DoorDash to add free food delivery to its services.

Amazon is set to take on Uber’s “Get Almost, Almost Anything” positioning as it elbows into the food delivery category through a partnership with delivery app DoorDash.

The deal will give Amazon Prime members free delivery fees on eligible DoorDash food orders for 24 months.

The move is a bid to provide more value to existing Prime customers by tapping into their areas of interest, according to Amazon Australia’s APAC director of Prime, Arno Lenior.

“We’ve heard from our customers that outside of the great selection, great prices, and great entertainment benefits of Prime, they’re very interested in food,” said Mr Lenior.

“These offers are super valuable, and they offset a significant percentage of the cost of a Prime membership. We believe this is going to offer more incredible value to our Prime members,” said Mr Lenior.

The move builds on Amazon Prime’s existing services which include Prime Video, Prime Music and the free and fast delivery services for Amazon retail products, as well as early access to deals and sales events.

It comes as Amazon continues to focus on the speed and convenience of its deliveries, increasing the areas for next day delivery and launching same day delivery in Sydney, in addition to the e-commerce giant’s continuing investment in logistics and fulfilment centres across the country.

Amazon is investing $1.6 billion to open five new operational sites, which it claims will create 4,500 jobs once they are fully operational.

“[The sites will] allow us to get that product closer to customers and also enable us to carry more products,” said Mr Lenior.

“Those investments, all of the focus, just allows us to get that faster delivery, which we really think is a game changer in Australia, delivery on evenings, weekends, reattempted deliveries for customers when they’re not home. All of those things matter to our customers and we’re going to continue to focus on that.”

The move pits Amazon against Uber as the app seeks to “own” delivery through its “Get Almost Almost Anything” positioning. Uber continues to expand beyond its core rideshare and food deliveries business to package delivery, as well as groceries, flowers, alcohol, pharmacy, pet supplies and car and bike hire. Uber also partners with retailers to provide same-day delivery via its courier services.

However, Mr Lenior said the brand does not plan to position as a “super app” and remains focused on delivering value and convenience to members.

“We listen to our customers and figure out the things that they are really interested in. Our core focus comes down to making sure that they can get what they want, when they want it, super conveniently and fast, at a great price.

“That’s the core of what we offer as Amazon, and Prime is the best of that.”