Still in need of a real Christmas tree ahead of Santa’s arrival? Amazon now delivers 6-foot trees directly to your door, making holiday decorating as easy as opening an Amazon box – though assembly is required.
News You Can Use:
Getting into the holiday spirit gets the Amazon touch for the first time this year. For the first time, Amazon will deliver this season’s real tree in a box delivered directly to your door. The “frustration free” purchase eliminates the need for strapping a tree to your car roof or dragging it up 4 flights of stairs, equally harrowing things I have experienced. It makes sense why Amazon has entered this space. Just under 2% of the 27 million real Christmas trees purchased last year were bought online, according to the National Christmas Tree Association.
A Jolly Tree in a Box:
Amazon is offering 6 to 7-foot tall Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir and sno-tip Black Hills Spruce trees for $109.99. For $99.99, customers can order Black HIll Spruces without white-tipped needles, if that matters to you. Geared towards city-dwellers, 10 to 12-inch “Charlie Brown” Christmas trees are available for under $60. Trees are sourced from North Carolina and Michigan. Orders over $25 qualify for free shipping. Amazon says it takes 1-2 business days for order processing. Add two to five days for shipping, based on your location. Amazon’s package includes a tree stand, care instructions, a tree preservative and a biodegradable bag for removal. In addition to trees, you can also purchase wreaths and garlands from the website, though they wouldn’t qualify for free shipping.
The Pros of “e-Trees” and No More Transportation Woes:
I find the experience of having a natural Christmas tree a joyful one, filling my home with fragrance. In sharp contrast, the arrival and departure days of the tree are dreadful, in my opinion. Making time to visit tree farm or retailer has to be scheduled and requires extra hands. At tree farms, it is common to have to haggle over the price. Maybe you will get $5 off and a free tree stand; either way, it always feels like a negotiations test to me, taking away from the spirit of the holiday. With a tree in hand(s), it is lugged home or shoved in or on top of your vehicle.
With the Amazon Christmas tree experience, the tree’s arrival is simple. You receive it just as you would any other“frustration free” item it sells, though a signature could be required at delivery. It comes packaged just as an artificial one one is with care instructions, a stand and more.
The Cons of “e-Trees” with Manual Labor and a Saw Required:
The biggest drawback of Amazon’s tree in a box is the manual labor needed, requiring a saw. According to CNET, in order to stand the tree upright “you have to cut about an inch off the end of the tree so that it can absorb water when you place it in a stand…After that you can bring it inside and put it in a tree stand.” If you own a saw and are comfortable with one, this option may be attractive to you. I would likely enlist the help of a handyman for the task, which would still be more time and cost effective for me than purchasing one in person, though less joyful – the same as buying any other item on Amazon.
Not into the labor? Just go plastic, Amazon has plenty of choices, as well.
Expect Amazon to work out the kinks in years to come with shorter delivery times and less sawing. Though its intention is clear: Amazon wants to be a part of your entire holiday experience.
