The joke around here is that our house could double as a shipping facility with all the packages continuously coming in and going out. But after heading back to work full-time, the freedom to shop in person just isn’t a luxury I enjoy anymore, so I am completely unapologetic about my dependency on online shopping and delivery services. Enter Amazon Prime Now.

Actually, more like Amazon Prime WOW, friends!

True story: I missed Halloween this year. My favorite holiday! Normally we’re decorating, making Halloween crafts and doing science projects, and enjoying Oreo Spiders.

But I’ve been so swamped with work and life and it nearly passed us by. So when Amazon sent me a $50 credit to try out Amazon Prime Now, I jumped at the opportunity like a vampire on fresh blood because my son changed his mind about his costume and I needed a ninja costume stat.

The super cool thing about it is that it’s FREE for Amazon Prime members and … drumroll … shipping is guaranteed in two hours.

You can pay $7.99 for guaranteed delivery in 1 hour, but…

I literally ordered my son’s ninja costume while waiting at school in the pick up line and it arrived at my doorstep by the time we got home in less than 60 minutes. Magic, folks.

Our Halloween was saved!

So what’s the verdict on Amazon Prime Now?

• The app is really easy to use and offers the same access to reviews and product detail features as the desktop site.
• I love that you get to choose your delivery window, track your delivery in real time, and get text message updates.
• The search function is not as adept as the desktop site and the product offerings are much more limited (which I would expect to expand as the service grows).
• The other feature that I was a little surprised about - compared to other express delivery services - was the tip component that is built into the purchasing process. Although we use restaurant food delivery services and don’t hesitate to tip the drivers, psychologically, I expect all of my product shipping to be “free.” When I did the price comparison between Amazon Prime and Amazon Prime Now, though, Amazon Prime Now turned out to be the better bargain because the product was about the same price, but delivered in under an hour.

If you’re in the Silicon Valley and have tried Amazon Prime Now, what do you think? What would you love to see being offered or tweaked on the app?

I’m looking forward to a greater range of products available through the app, access to Amazon Prime Pantry, and having fresh groceries delivered would be icing on the cake. Download the app from iTunes or from Google Play to try it out for yourself!

Parents and friends: for more ideas, activities, and inspiration for #RaisingThinkingKids, click on an icon below to join us on Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and Twitter.

Fellow bloggers: join me at Bloggy Law, where you’ll find Simple Tips for Bulletproofing Your Brand and Blog and I’ll help you navigate the social media legal landscape a little more smoothly.

Chrissy – who has written 426 posts on The Outlaw Mom® Blog - Creative Living in a Conventional World.

---