You could say Amazon.com Inc. is branching out.
For the first time, the e-commerce giant will sell live, full-sized Christmas trees this year, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Amazon AMZN, +2.48% told the AP that the trees will be shipped in a box within 10 days of being cut down, and should survive the trip just fine.
The trees will go on sale starting in November, and some will be eligible for free shipping through Amazon Prime. Wreaths, garlands and seasonal plants will also be available for online orders.
The convenience will cost you though: A 7-foot Fraser fir from a farm in North Carolina will run about $115, the AP said. For comparison, as of 2016, the average tree nationwide cost about $75, and last year a 6- to 7-foot Fraser fir cost about $42 at Lowe’s. But then again, you don’t have to lug Amazon’s tree home and get your hands covered in sap.
Tim O’Connor, executive director of the National Christmas Tree Association, told the AP that he wasn’t worried that one-click buying would cut into sales at Christmas tree lots, noting that most people like the tradition and experience of selecting their own tree. Besides, online Christmas-tree sales are “so small, it’s almost undetectable,” he said.
For now, at least.
