I got this email from FreshDirect today:

DELIVERYPASS: A NEW WAY TO SAVE! Unlimited Deliveries & “Reserve Delivery Privileges” For Six Months!

Pay one price and keep it coming. The new FreshDirect DELIVERYPASS program provides convenient access to all the delicious foods that you love. In addition, DELIVERYPASS allows you to lock-in a delivery slot with our “Reserve Delivery Privileges” feature. Select the slot you want and let us handle the rest!

INTRODUCTORY OFFER! RECEIVE $50 OFF THE REGULAR $99 PRICE!

To sign up for this special offer visit www.freshdirect.com/deliverypass and add the $99 DELIVERYPASS to your cart. Enter code FDDELIVERS50 during checkout to get your $50 off. Offer expires November 15, 2006.

PLUS A FREE MEAL! When you purchase a DELIVERYPASS, we’ll also send you a coupon code for a free Shrimp Romesco Fresh Dining meal ($9.99 value), created by Chef Terrance Brennan.

So, it’s $49 for six months of free delivery, or about $8 per month. That works out to a good deal for me, as I generally order at least twice per month, and the delivery fee is $4.95. FreshDirect should really leave it at the discounted rate, though. For $99 to be worth it, you’d have to order slightly more than three times per month, which I don’t believe anybody does. It would be one thing if they lowered the minimum order, but I would have serious trouble spending $120 a month at FreshDirect. I’d end up forcing myself to order a bunch of things I didn’t want and wouldn’t have time to eat.

This program reminds me of Amazon Prime, which I once thoroughly enjoyed during a three-month free trial. I’d never sign up, though, because I’d always be worried that I wasn’t ordering enough, and then I’d order something.

I’m curious to see how this “Reserve Delivery Privileges” feature works. Can I get the coveted 8 to 10 am slot less than two days in advance? The 6 to 8 pm? I’ll sign up and tell the internet all about it, and of course about the fancy “Shrimp Romesco Fresh Dining meal ($9.99 value).”