Amazon has temporarily closed its Prime Pantry food delivery service across the US due to a surge in online orders following the coronavirus outbreak.
The company is now working to restock products as quickly as possible, however, Amazon was not able reveal when the service will restart.
In a note posted online, Amazon said that, “Due to high order volumes, Pantry is not accepting new orders at this time. This means that items listed as ‘Ships & Sold from Pantry’ cannot be added to your cart.”
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Disrupted supplies
The Pantry section of the website is now directing customers to other sections like Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods, grocery and household category where household staples can be bought, with the caveat that delivery might be limited due to high demand and limited availability.
“Amazon Pantry is not accepting new orders at this time while we work to fulfill open orders and restock items following increased demand," an Amazon statement said.
"We are working hard to make these products available again and will update customers once we can take new orders.”
The Prime Pantry service was launched in 2014 and offers free delivery on a range of perishable grocery items. Customers who purchase products worth $35 or more are eligible for free delivery else $5.95 is charged as a shipping fee.
Elsewhere, Amazon has decided to only receive vital supplies at its US, UK and other European warehouses. While this decision is taken to ensure that the warehouses have enough space to stock medical and household goods which are currently high in demand, it has left some sellers in a lurch.
Sellers have complained that this abrupt decision will dampen their sales and in turn impact their ability to replay Amazon loans on time. Though an Amazon spokesperson, without providing details, has confirmed that the company is working to provide relief to anyone affected.
Amazon had also announced that its Prime delivery services was impacted due to the sudden increase in demand and supply chain disruption. This rare incidence was also a direct result of a surge in orders caused by the coronavirus outbreak.
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Via: CNBC
