You can now order blueberries, milk and other perishables on Amazon Prime

·GroceryYou can now order blueberries, milk and other perishables on Amazon PrimeBy Anne D'InnocenzioBy The Associated PressBy Anne D'InnocenzioBy The Associated Press Amazon Prime, now with perishables.AP Photo/Steven Senne, FileAmazon is now rolling out a service where its Prime members can order their blueberries and milk at the same time as basic items batteries and T-shirts and get them within hours

The online juggernaut said Wednesday that customers in more than 1,000 cities and towns including Raleigh, North Carolina; Milwaukee; and Columbus, Ohio, now have access to fresh groceries with its free same-day dery service on orders over $25 for Prime members, with plans to reach over 2,300 cities and towns by year-end

Amazon called the move “one of the most significant grocery expansions” for the online retailer as it introduces thousands of perishable items into its existing logistics network

The expansion is expected to put pressure on grocery dery services offered by such rivals as Walmart, Kroger and Target, which all saw their s take a hit in trading Wednesday

Amazon said that if an order doesn’t meet the minimum, members can still choose same-day dery for a $2.99 fee

In the past, Prime rs’ grocery orders were fulfilled through Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods Market

Depending on members’ location and availability, Walmart members can schedule same-day dery for their groceries, including perishables. “We’re continuously innovating to make grocery shopping simpler, faster, and more affordable for our customers, especially Prime members,” said Doug Herrington, CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores, in a statement. “By introducing fresh groceries into our Same-Day Dery service, we’re creating a quick and easy experience for customers. ” Herrington noted that customers can order milk alongside electronics; oranges, apples, and potatoes with a mystery novel; and frozen pizza at the same time as tools for their next imvement ject—and check out with one cart and have everything dered to their doorstep within hours

The company first tested the service in Phoenix, last year, and then added Orlando, Florida and Kansas City, Missouri, earlier this year

Amazon noted that many of its customers were first-time Amazon grocery shoppers who now return to shop twice as often with the same-day der service compared to those who didn’t purchase food

It also noted that based on early sales, strawberries now regularly knock AirPods out of the top five best sellers of all ducts sold, while bananas, Honeycrisp apples, limes, and avocados round out the top ten best-selling perishable grocery items in their same-day dery carts. “It’s a nice step forward,” said Jason Goldberg, chief commerce strategy officer at Publicis Groupe, a global marketing and communications company. “It definitely makes them more competitive” in perishables

Goldberg noted that Amazon has struggled to succeed in fresh food and that shoppers have been confused ordering shelf stable items and perishables, and having them appear in different online shopping carts, including Amazon Fresh

He said this move will greatly imve the experience

Amazon said it generated over $100 billion in gross sales of groceries and household essentials last year not including sales from Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh

In June, Amazon said it was more than $4 billion to triple the size of its dery network by 2026, with a focus on small towns and rural communities across the country

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