Nov 3, 2017

Amazon is scaling back grocery delivery in 5 states

An AmazonFresh worker delivers groceries. Photo: Joe Nicholson / AP

AmazonFresh customers in parts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and California are complaining on social media of receiving notices that Amazon is suspending the grocery delivery service to their areas.

Recode reports that this scaling back of service is even affecting customers in parts of the populous cities of Philadelphia, Los Angeles.

The move is a bit of a head-scratcher, given Amazon's manifest belief that grocery delivery will be a big part of its business in the future, and it's possible it is just temporary.

Michael Pachter, Amazon analyst at Wedbush Securities, speculates: "I think Amazon is going to revamp Fresh altogether and move distribution closer to the customer via Whole Foods locations. They probably scaled back Fresh markets that were logistically difficult (meaning not close to a refrigerated fulfillment center or insufficient critical mass of customers), and will back fill those markets when they roll out delivery from Whole Foods locations some time next year."

"We have made changes to our service area and discontinued delivery to select zip codes," Amazon says in a statement. "AmazonFresh continues to serve customers across the U.S. (Seattle, New York, Boston, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Miami, Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and more) and internationally (London, Tokyo, and Berlin)."

Go deeper

Ursula Perano

What we know: Deadly Storm Dennis whips at England, Wales and Ireland

Photo: OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images.

At least two deaths are being attributed to Storm Dennis on Monday as it continues to strike at parts of England, Wales and Ireland, per AccuWeather.

The big picture: Dennis is the second-strongest nontropical storm ever recorded in the North Atlantic Ocean. Its hurricane-force winds and heavy rains have caused widespread flooding across the United Kingdom. The army has been deployed in the U.K. to help with flood relief.

Go deeper15 mins ago - Science

Axios

Coronavirus cases rise as 14 American evacuees infected

Data: The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins, the CDC, and China's NHC; Note: China refers to mainland China and the Diamond Princess is the cruise ship offshore Yokohama, Japan. Map: Danielle Alberti/Axios

14 Americans evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship tested positive for the novel coronavirus before being flown in a "specialist containment" on a plane repatriating U.S. citizens back home, the U.S. government said early Monday.

The big picture: COVID-19 has now killed at least 1,775 people and infected more than 70,000 others. Most cases and all but five of the deaths have occurred in mainland China.

Go deeperUpdated 2 hours ago - Health

Jim VandeHei, Margaret Talev

The cost of going after Bloomberg

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Here's the growing dilemma for 2020 Democrats vying for a one-on-one showdown with frontrunner Bernie Sanders: Do they have the guts — and the money — to first stop Mike Bloomberg?

Why it matters: Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Elizabeth Warren all must weigh the costs of punching Bloomberg where he looks most vulnerable: stop-and-frisk, charges of sexism, billionaire entitlement. The more zealous the attacks, the greater the risk he turns his campaign ATM against them.

Go deeper7 hours ago - Politics & Policy