Dive Brief:
- Amazon has added three new features to its Buy with Prime service, according to a Tuesday announcement.
- Prime members can now track orders they have placed on brands’ sites that offer Buy with Prime via their Amazon account and chat live with a customer service team about orders, per the company blog post.
- Members can also return eligible items they purchased using Buy with Prime through drop-off locations at UPS, Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh stores without boxing or labeling items.
Dive Insight:
With Buy with Prime, Amazon enabled Prime shoppers to make purchases on websites outside of Amazon using their saved payment details while accessing its free shipping and returns services. After launching the service in 2022, the company expanded it to all U.S. sellers in January.
The e-commerce giant continued to widen its reach with its partnership with Shopify. In September, the company announced the integration with Shopify, which lets Shopify sellers add Buy with Prime as an option for customers.
Amazon touted Buy with Prime as a tool that drives sales with new buyers. In its announcement, the retailer said three in four Buy with Prime purchases are made by new customers.
“We continue to innovate our Buy with Prime offering so that Prime members get access to an expanded selection and a convenient shopping experience, even when shopping beyond Amazon.com,” Peter Larsen, vice president of Buy with Prime, said in a statement. “Just in time for the holiday season, we’re excited to roll out new Buy with Prime features that Prime members will love, including hassle-free returns and world-class customer service.”
But as Amazon spreads its Buy with Prime services, it faces stiff competition from another major rival: Walmart. Seeking to expand its fulfillment capabilities, Walmart has opened next-generation fulfillment centers in Joliet, Illinois; McCordsville, Indiana; and Lancaster, Texas, and plans to open another fulfillment center in 2024 and another in three years.
