Online grocery delivery and pick-up has not been easy to come by lately as services have seen an unprecedented demand in light of the COVID-19 outbreak. But now it might be a bit easier for first-timers to give it a try, because Amazon has lifted its invite list for new online grocery customers in many locations.
Amazon announced last month in a blog post that new customers wanting to place an Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods online grocery order had to sign up to receive an invite when there was a spot for them as it increased capacity. The company said that it was slowly allowing more customers to access the services each week as it caught up and hired more workers. Now, CNET is reporting that Amazon has lifted the invite list requirement in many places.
"We've removed the invite list in most cities, and more than 80 percent of eligible Prime members are able to shop without requesting an invitation," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement to Delish: "We continue inviting new customers every week."
Amazon moved quickly to adapt to the new influx of online orders. The company recently hired 100,000 workers for its grocery service and is in the process of hiring another 75,000. It also turned some locations into "dark stores," open only to online grocery fulfillment workers in an effort to expedite these orders and keep other stores clearer for customers.
In another sign that things seem to be stabilizing, Amazon confirmed to Digital Trends that it has lifted limits on third-party products sent to Amazon fulfillment centers, a move it implemented in an effort to prioritize certain necessary supplies.
