Enemy to Frenemy: Amazon & Iceland
09/13/23 • 16 min
"We hate Amazon. They'll bully us and do horrible things to us. They'll use us, we don't want anything to do with them." - Iceland Managing Director, 2018
Fast forward five years...
This morning Amazon UK announced that frozen food specialist Iceland will begin selling groceries on its platform. In this episode, Natalie explores the rationale behind Iceland’s shift in strategy and why Amazon is expanding its relationship with third party supermarkets like Morrisons, Co-op and now Iceland.
Amazon may need the grocery industry but does the grocery industry need Amazon? Let’s explore.
Links:
Amazon press release: https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/retail/amazon-fresh-store-liverpoolstreet-iceland-partnership
Recent Grocery Gazette article featuring Natalie’s thoughts on Amazon’s UK grocery strategy:
https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2023/07/26/amazon-fresh/
Natalie and Miya’s book (yes it’s on Amazon): https://amzn.eu/d/9RfiDnD
"We hate Amazon. They'll bully us and do horrible things to us. They'll use us, we don't want anything to do with them." - Iceland Managing Director, 2018
Fast forward five years...
This morning Amazon UK announced that frozen food specialist Iceland will begin selling groceries on its platform. In this episode, Natalie explores the rationale behind Iceland’s shift in strategy and why Amazon is expanding its relationship with third party supermarkets like Morrisons, Co-op and now Iceland.
Amazon may need the grocery industry but does the grocery industry need Amazon? Let’s explore.
Links:
Amazon press release: https://www.aboutamazon.co.uk/news/retail/amazon-fresh-store-liverpoolstreet-iceland-partnership
Recent Grocery Gazette article featuring Natalie’s thoughts on Amazon’s UK grocery strategy:
https://www.grocerygazette.co.uk/2023/07/26/amazon-fresh/
Natalie and Miya’s book (yes it’s on Amazon): https://amzn.eu/d/9RfiDnD
Previous Episode
Friction vs. Reward
Richard Hammond, CEO of Uncrowd and fellow retail author, joins Natalie to explore the differences in US and UK grocery retailing. Why have British retailers failed to crack the American market? When is it ok to have friction? Automation - how can retailers balance customer satisfaction and operational efficiencies? And what is the risk of deprioritizing CX investment in the current climate?
Listen to the end to hear Richard's own experience of being stuck in self-checkout jail. 🙂
Connect with Richard:
Richard's books:
Friction/Reward: Be your customer's first choice
Smart Retail: Winning Ideas and Strategies from the Most Successful Retailers in the World
Next Episode
Goodbye Free Returns. It's Been Costly.
H&M is the latest fashion retailer to start charging shoppers for online returns. Jonathan De Mello, Founder & CEO at JDM Retail, joins Natalie to explore whether the days of free returns are really over. Why has bracketing (ie. buy 5 items, return 4) become normalised? Hint: retailers, you created a monster. And will charging for returns will be enough of a deterrent to reverse the buy-to-try shopping mentality?
Links:
Connect with Jonathan on LinkedIn
Follow Jonathan on Twitter/X
Register for DEPT Commerce Week on 27/9! Natalie be speaking alongside TikTok and HighSnobiety.
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