Amazon quietly started testing a new delivery service in my neighborhood called AmazonTote. The idea is that you have 1 pre-set delivery day (two if you are Amazon Prime) and anything you purchase up till a certain time and day of the week gets delivered using their Tote program. The AmazonFresh subsidiary of Amazon is actually doing the delivery. Delivery is free, there is no minimum order, and your items are delivered to your doorstep in a re-usable tote.

I like this idea a lot. I'm already an Amazon Prime member, and we use AmazonFresh each week (we have automatic delivery of our groceries) but one thing that's always bothered me about Amazon is that if you order a couple of items you typically get a few boxes. I really don't care much when I get my packages, just that it happens in a reasonable amount of time, and a time I can plan for.

Since AmazonTote gives me two delivery windows, I can basically collect the stuff I need in a shopping cart, and then all have it ordered and delivered at once. I like that concept a lot, and less resources / waste is generated with shipping multiple boxes, packaging materials and UPS / FedEx trucks delivering it. And i don't have to break down boxes.

We're expecting our new baby any day now, and so I just used this service to get a number of necessary baby items (bottles and such) that AmazonFresh doesn't carry.

I think they are really on to something here... and I really love that I live in a neighborhood that has both AmazonFresh and now AmazonTote. AmazonFresh has pretty much changed the way our family gets groceries and saved us countless hours each week.

Living in Amazon's back yard does have some perks.