Amazon will temporarily be suspending new grocery orders on its online platform due to the surge in demand. The company announced on Sunday that new orders will be placed on a waiting list as it will be prioritizing existing orders to keep up with deliveries.
Customers who attempt to order grocery items from the company's online portal will not be able to push through with the transaction if there are no delivery slots available. Amazon stated that starting Monday, all-new online grocery orders will be placed on a waiting list while it attempts to increase delivery capacity.
The Seattle-based e-commerce giant assured customers that it will be doing everything possible to add capacity to accommodate more customers. In line with the move, the company stated that the shopping hours at its Whole Foods stores will be shortened. The move is meant to give employees more time to fulfill the surging online grocery orders.
Over the past few weeks, the grocery pickup services at its outlets were above capacity and the company is attempting to hire more employees to cope with the demand. Amazon has increased its pickup service from just 80 locations to more than 150 locations nationwide.
With stay-at-home orders and restrictions still in place, most people are now turning to online grocery platforms for their daily needs. Since Amazon acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion back in 2017, the company has been a major player in the segment. In light of the restriction, Amazon is leveraging its online and offline presence to serve the growing demand.
However, the outbreak has proven itself to be a major challenge for the company, which is now struggling to meet demand. According to Amazon, its online grocery orders have increased by more than 60 percent since the start of the outbreak. The delays in deliveries, which are typically fast and on time, have resulted in some customers taking to social media to air out their complaints.
In response to the complaints, Amazon stated that it is actively hiring additional workers to expand capacity. The company also stated that it will be implementing new features to its platform. As of the moment, customers will still need to virtually "wait in line" for available delivery windows, which will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
While Amazon is ramping up its operations to meet demands, some employees are reportedly no longer happy about their current predicament. Several employees have already launched protests against the company for not doing enough to protect them from the virus. Reports have revealed that several employees working at its fulfillment centers and Whole Foods stores have contracted the disease.
