Amazon.com has announced the creation of a free subscription service, Amazon Mom, intended to make life easier on busy moms, dads and others taking care of babies and toddlers.
The service offers discounted prices on disposable diapers and wipes with new members receiving free two-day shipping for three months through the Amazon Prime service. Members can earn an extra month of free two-day shipping for every order of $25 or more on baby items.
"We understand that children are very rewarding and at times can be expensive," says Doug Herrington, vice president of consumables at Amazon.com, in a statement. "Amazon Mom makes it easier than ever for families to get everything they need, from strollers and diapers to digital cameras and blenders, all with great prices and fast free shipping directly to your doorstep."
Mr. Herrington told Reuters that the new program builds on an existing strength for Amazon.
"We sell a great deal of diapers and wipes and the new mom discussion boards and on our site talk about the great subscribe and save offers for diapers and wipes," he said. "So we decided to focus on the area we're strong on now."
The new Amazon service will compete directly with other online offerings such as Diapers.com as well as a host of traditional retailers in a wide range of baby-related categories. The company is counting on ease of ordering and low prices to help it achieve share gains in the category.
Discussion Questions: Does Amazon.com have a winner with Amazon Mom? How will Amazon's more focused go-to-market strategy affect sales of products such as diapers and wipes in other retail outlets?