“Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard,
To give the poor dog a bone:
When she came there,
The cupboard was bare,
And so the poor dog had none.”

~ Sarah CatherineMartin

Dogs whose owners shop for food and pet supplies in Amazon’s Prime Pantry mayfind themselves without bones soon. Amazon has temporarily shut down its PrimePantry service because the company could not keep up with the high volume oforders coming in as consumers try to stock up in the wake of the coronavirus.Previously placed Prime Pantry orders will still be shipped, but Amazon is notaccepting new orders.

In a message posted to the Prime Pantry site, Amazonencourages shoppers to purchase products through Amazon Fresh, Whole Foodsmarket or the Amazon marketplace in the Grocery and Household product categories.

“We apologize for this inconvenience and are working withour partners to get these items back in stock as quickly as possible,” saidAmazon.

Prime Pantry launched in 2014 and, similar to Amazon Fresh,it offers free shipping on orders of $35 or more to Prime members. In selectareas, non-Prime members can also shop Prime Pantry for a $5.99 shipping feeper order. Available in the continuous United States, Prime Pantry shoppers canpurchase Shop & Save items in any combination of five items to save 5% orin any combination of 10 items to save 10%. Product categories include Deals,Grocery, Snacks, Beverages, Breakfast, and Cleaning & Household.

In related news, Amazon shared information on how thecompany is helping customers, communities and employees affected by COVID-19 ina March13 blog post. As part of that post, Amazon shared additional information onhow its grocery services are impacted.

• Whole Foods Market is temporarily changing itsstore hours to accommodate some of its most vulnerable customers. In the U.S.and Canada, customers who are ages 60 and over, can shop one hour prior to whena store is open to the general public. In the U.K., the same opportunity isavailable to customers who are 70 and over.
• Prime Now, Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Marketdelivery services are available in select areas. Customers can choose unattendeddelivery, except for orders that include alcohol.
• Amazon is prioritizingstocking and delivering essential items including household staples,sanitizers, baby formula and medical supplies.

“This isn’t business as usual, and it’s a time of great stress and uncertainty. It’s also a moment in time when the work we’re doing is its most critical,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO, in a March 21 blog post.

“We’ve changed our logistics, transportation, supply chain, purchasing, and third-party seller processes to prioritize stocking and delivering essential items like household staples, sanitizers, baby formula, and medical supplies. We’re providing a vital service to people everywhere, especially to those, like the elderly, who are most vulnerable. People are depending on us,” Bezos added.

Insider Take:

This move is not at all surprising. Grocery stores,warehouse stores and food delivery services are all being taxed as panickedconsumers are trying to prepare for the unknown. Amazonhas committed to hiring 100,000 workers, but it will take time to get themon board, and it will also take time to replenish household supplies such asdisinfectants, hand sanitizer and toilet paper. By focusing their resourceswhere they are needed most, Amazon can better serve its customers whileattempting to meet their needs in a timely fashion.