Document:

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                                                                    EXHIBIT 10.9

September 2, 1999

Ms. Mary Alice Taylor
16605 Villalenda de Avila
Tampa, Florida 33613

Dear Mary Alice:

It gives us great pleasure to offer you the position of Chairman of the Board of
Directors ("Chairman") and Chief Executive Officer of Homegrocer.com, Inc.
("Homegrocer.com", or the "Company"). The Board of Directors intends to elect
you Chairman  in a meeting immediately following your acceptance of this offer.
We feel that you will add substantially to the team and provide HomeGrocer.com
with extraordinary leadership. We look forward to helping you to build the
Company into one of the most important new Internet companies and a powerful
player in the American economy. We also want you to know that you  can count on
the full resources of HomeGrocer.com's venture capital partners (The Barksdale
Group,  Kleiner Perkins, Hummer Winblad, and Madrona Group) to assist you in
your efforts.

We understand the nature of the commitment you are making to join HomeGrocer.com
and want you to do so with great confidence. We believe that you have the
characteristics and values of great business executives: high integrity,
intelligence, compassion, leadership, a bias to action and a sense of urgency.
We are extremely enthusiastic about your accepting this CEO position. The terms
of your employment offer ("Offer") are as follows:

Title:         Chairman & Chief Executive Officer

Reporting to:  Board of Directors

Base Salary:   An annual salary of $200,000 to be paid bi-weekly. The position
               is classified as exempt and, as such is not eligible for overtime
               pay.

Performance    Bonus is subject to definition by the Board (Compensation
Bonus:         Committee) based on criteria determined after consultation with
               you. Such bonus to be paid quarterly after your first full
               quarter of employment and paid in the last pay period of the
               month following.

Reviews:       Performance and reviews will "normally" or "generally" be held on
               a semi-annual basis and salary reviews on an annual basis, but
               they may be conducted more frequently, depending upon the
               business needs.
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Stock Options       Restricted stock for 750,000 common shares at a purchase
and                 price of $0.90 per share will be issued to you and will be
Restricted Stock:   immediately vested. Options will be granted to you to
                    acquire 2,250,000 additional common shares at an exercise
                    price of $0.90 per share. The restricted stock and options
                    will be granted by the Board of Directors in the meeting
                    immediately following your signing of this agreement, will
                    not be contingent on shareholder approval, and may at the
                    Board's discretion be granted outside of the Company's Stock
                    Incentive Compensation Plan. The option will vest monthly
                    over three years with vesting commencing on the first
                    anniversary of the grant date. At your request, to be made
                    within 60 days of the commencement of your employment, the
                    Company will allow you to exercise all or a part of your
                    options, but in that event the Company will have a
                    repurchase right (at your cost) for those shares that will
                    lapse on the same schedule as your option vesting (i.e.,
                    over 4 years). Any reference herein below to non-vested
                    options shall include shares issued pursuant to the exercise
                    of non-vested options to the extent the shares remain
                    subject to repurchase. In the event of your death or
                    permanent disability, as to all non-vested options and
                    restricted stock then held by you (including any options and
                    restricted stock granted in excess of the 3,000,000 shares
                    provided for herein), the options and restricted stock will
                    become vested to the extent of the greater of 50% of the
                    non-vested options and/or shares or the options and/or
                    shares which would have vested had you continued in
                    employment for 12 months. You will have the right to borrow
                    from the Company (on a recourse basis) any amount necessary
                    to cover the exercise price of options and the purchase
                    price of restricted stock. Any such loan will bear interest
                    at the lowest rate allowable under federal law. Any proceeds
                    you receive from the sale of the Company's stock shall first
                    go to repay the loan. Any such loan will be due and payable
                    in any event in 5 years. All options and restricted stock
                    issued to you will be pursuant to Stock Option Letter
                    Agreement(s) and Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement(s)
                    which include the foregoing provisions as well as other
                    customary provisions.

                    You may, in your sole discretion, subject to applicable
                    securities laws (including requirements for accredited
                    investors) and contractual agreements (including without
                    limitation the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement
                    applicable to the purchase of your shares), transfer all or
                    any portion of the options (or stock issued pursuant to the
                    exercise of options) or restricted stock held by you
                    (including any options and restricted stock granted in
                    excess of the 3,000,000 shares provided for herein) to any
                    member of your immediate family, your siblings and the
                    descendants of any of them (your "Immediate Family"), or to
                    any trust or family partnership for the benefit of any such
                    individuals; provided, that (i) you or your spouse shall
                    retain the right to vote such restricted stock (or stock

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                    issued pursuant to the exercise of options), and (ii) such
                    options or restricted stock (or stock issued pursuant to the
                    exercise of options) shall remain subject to the same risk
                    of forfeiture and the same contractual and other
                    restrictions as would have applied to you in the absence of
                    such transfer.

                    You, any member of your Immediate Family or any estate
                    planning entity established for you or for the benefit of
                    any Immediate Family member will additionally have the right
                    to purchase up to $500,000 of the security issued in the
                    Company's next round of pre-IPO equity financing, if any.

Vacation:           Unlimited

Benefits Plan:      You will be eligible for the Company's competitive benefits
                    plan the first of the month following 30 days employment.
                    The plan will include medical, dental, vision, and life
                    insurance. The Company will pay all premiums, including cost
                    of one dependent (additional dependents covered at 50%).
                    Short-term disability and long-term disability will be a
                    100% employee paid contributory benefit. These benefits will
                    be described to you at the time that you begin your
                    employment. However, if you have any questions about your
                    benefits prior to that time, we will be happy to answer
                    them.

401(k) Plan:        The Company provides a 401(k) plan with Company matching.
                    The details of the plan will be provided in a separate
                    document.

At Will:            You should also understand that HomeGrocer.com employs its
                    employees on an at will basis. This means that your
                    employment is voluntary and for no set period. If you accept
                    employment with the Company, you will be free to resign at
                    any time, without cause. Likewise, the company will be free
                    to terminate your employment at any time, with or without
                    cause.

Termination         If the Company terminates your employment for any reason
Without Cause       without "cause", or if you resign your employment for
or Resignation      "good reason", then (i) the Company shall pay you all
By You for Good     compensation (including base salary and bonus) due to you at
Reason:             the date of your termination, (ii) non-vested options and
                    restricted stock that would otherwise have vested over the
                    next 6 months of your employment, or 375,000 non-vested
                    options or shares of restricted stock then held by you, if
                    greater, shall become immediately vested, and (iii) the
                    Company shall continue to pay, monthly, one-twelfth of your
                    then current annual base salary plus bonus, for a period of
                    two years after the date of such termination or resignation.

Termination With    For purposes of this Offer, termination of your employment
                    by the

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Cause:              Company shall be regarded as termination for "cause" only
                    upon:

                    (i)   your willful and continued failure to substantially
                    perform your duties with the Company after there is
                    delivered to you by the Board of Directors a written demand
                    for substantial performance which sets forth in detail the
                    specific respects in which it believes you have not
                    substantially performed your duties;

                    (ii)  your willfully engaging in gross misconduct which is
                    materially detrimental to the Company;

                    (iii) your committing a felony or act of fraud against the
                    Company or its affiliates; or

                    (iv)  your breaching materially the terms of your employee
                    non-disclosure and invention agreement with the Company or
                    any other similar agreement that may be in effect from time
                    to time.

                    In the event of termination for cause, the Company shall pay
                    you all compensation (including base salary and accrued
                    vacation but excluding bonus) due to you on the date of
                    termination.

Resignation         For purposes of this Offer, "good reason" shall mean:
Other Than for
Good Reason:        (i)   a material reduction in your base salary or bonus,
                    without your prior written consent;

                    (ii)  a material reduction in your position, duties or
                    responsibilities, without your prior written consent;

                    (iii) a change in your place of employment which is not
                    within a 35 mile radius of your place of employment
                    immediately before such change, without your prior written
                    consent; or

                    (iv)  any material breach by the Company of the terms of
                    this Offer.

                    In the event of your resignation other than for good reason,
                    the Company shall pay you all compensation (including base
                    salary and accrued vacation but excluding bonus) due to you
                    on the date of resignation.

Acceleration:       In the event the Company:

                    (i) sells all or substantially all of its assets; or is
                    acquired by another entity by means of consolidation or
                    merger after which the stockholders of the

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                    Company immediately prior to the transaction hold less than
                    50% of the voting power of the surviving corporation; and

                    (ii) you are not offered a position having substantially the
                    same duties and responsibilities as you had prior to such a
                    sale or acquisition and comparable compensation; then; you
                    will become immediately vested in all options and restricted
                    stock that would have become vested had you continued in
                    your then-current position for a period of 2 years from the
                    date of such sale of acquisition, or in 1,500,000 non-vested
                    options or shares of restricted stock then held by you, if
                    greater.

                    For purposes of this "acceleration" paragraph, we agree that
                    managing the online division of a major grocery chain will
                    not constitute a position with similar duties and
                    responsibilities. We also agree that if the capital or
                    operating budgets of the Company are substantially reduced
                    (by more than 50%) within 6 months of any such sale or
                    acquisition, then that will not constitute a position with
                    similar duties and responsibilities. With those exceptions,
                    you agree that a position with similar duties and
                    responsibilities will include any position in which you
                    continue to run the operations of the Company with full
                    executive responsibility for strategic and business
                    planning, profit and loss, marketing, pricing and sales. You
                    also agree that you will not consider your responsibilities
                    to be dissimilar solely because the acquiring company
                    combines and operates warehousing, distribution and other
                    similar operations.

Registration        The Company will grant you "piggy-back" registration rights
Rights:             for Company securities held by you on the same terms as
                    those given to the investors holding the Company's Preferred
                    Stock under its current Investor Rights Agreement.

Expenses:           The Company will reimburse any expenses you reasonable incur
                    in the course of carrying out business for the Company.

Moving:             You agree to relocate to the Seattle region within six
                    months. The Company will reimburse reasonable expenses,
                    including, but not limited to, temporary accommodation,
                    movers, realty fees, transfer taxes and two house hunting
                    trips. The Company will also pay for the cost of carrying
                    your Tampa residence during any period of time in which you
                    are residing in the Seattle region, but not for more than
                    one year.

Outside             You may continue to serve on all corporate, civic and
Activities:         charitable boards or committees on which you are currently
                    serving. In addition, you may serve on other corporate,
                    civic or charitable boards or committees (in addition to the
                    Company's Board) so long as such service does not prevent

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                    you from carrying out your duties and responsibilities as
                    Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

To indicate your acceptance of this Offer, please sign this letter.  We are
pleased to have you as HomeGrocer.com's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer:

Yours very truly,
HomeGrocer.com, Inc.

                                   /s/ Terry Drayton
L. John Doerr                      Terry Drayton
Director                           Co-founder & President

By accepting this Offer you agree this is a full time position and you will make
every effort necessary to perform adequately the duties that are assigned to
you.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, HomeGrocer.com acknowledges that you will
also remain an employee of Citigroup Inc. until September 1, 1999.  As a pre-
condition of this Offer you agree to execute the Company's "Employee Non-
Disclosure and Invention Agreement."

Agreed to and accepted:

/s/: Mary Alice Taylor
Mary Alice Taylor

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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.10

June 1, 1999

Mr. Terry Drayton
1526 - 79/th/ Place NE
Medina, WA  98039

Dear Terry:

On behalf of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, it gives me
great pleasure to confirm your position as President of HomeGrocer.com, Inc.
("HomeGrocer.com", or the "Company") following the recruitment of a new Chairman
and Chief Executive Officer ("CEO").  We would also like to offer you a new
compensation arrangement designed to put you and the new CEO on the same basis.
Thank you for providing HomeGrocer.com with extraordinary leadership during your
tenure as CEO since the inception of the Company over two years ago.  We look
forward to continue helping you to build the Company into one of the most
important new Internet companies and a powerful player in the American economy.
We also want you to know that you can continue to count on the full resources of
HomeGrocer.com's venture capital partners (the Barksdale Group, Kleiner Perkins,
Hummer Winblad, and Madrona Group) to assist in your and the CEO's efforts.

We understand the nature of the commitment you have made to HomeGrocer.com and
thank you for it.  We believe that you have the characteristics and values of
great business executives: high integrity, intelligence, compassion, leadership,
a bias to action and a sense of urgency.  We are extremely enthusiastic about
your continued involvement and accepting this President position.  The terms of
your employment offer ("Offer") are as follows:

Title:         President (you remain CEO until the new one is recruited)

Reporting to:  Chairman & CEO.  As Founder and a major shareholder you will
               continue to be a member of the Board of Directors.

Base Salary:   An annual salary of $200,000 to be paid bi-weekly. The position
               is classified as exempt and, as such is not eligible for overtime
               pay.

Performance    Bonus is subject to definition by the Board (Compensation
Bonus:         Committee) based on criteria determined after consultation with
               you. Such bonus to be paid quarterly after your first full
               quarter of employment and paid in the last pay period of the
               month following.

Reviews:       Performance and reviews will "normally" or "generally" be held on
               a semi-annual basis and salary reviews on an annual basis, but
               they may be conducted more frequently, depending upon the
               business needs.
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Stock Options   Restricted stock for 275,000 common shares at a purchase price
and Restricted  of $0.90per share will be issued to you and will be immediately
Stock:          of Options will be granted to you to acquire 825,000 additional
                common shares at an exercise price of $0.90 per share. The
                restricted stock and options will be granted by the Board of
                Directors at the June 11, 1999 meeting, will not be contingent
                on shareholder approval, and may at the Board's discretion be
                granted outside of the Company's Stock Incentive Compensation
                Plan. The option will vest monthly over three years with vesting
                commencing on the first anniversary of the grant date. At your
                request, to be made within 120 days of the date of this letter,
                the Company will allow you to exercise all or a part of your
                options, but in that event the Company will have a repurchase
                right (at your cost) for those shares that will lapse on the
                same schedule as your option vesting (i.e., over 4 years). Any
                reference herein below to non-vested options shall include
                shares issued pursuant to the exercise of non-vested options to
                the extent the shares remain subject to repurchase. In the event
                of your death or permanent disability, as to all non-vested
                options and restricted stock then held by you (including any
                options and restricted stock granted in excess of the 1,100,000
                shares provided for herein), the options and restricted stock
                will become vested to the extent of the greater of 50% of the
                non-vested options and/or shares or the options and/or shares
                which would have vested had you continued in employment for 12
                months. You will have the right to borrow from the Company (on a
                recourse basis) any amount necessary to cover the exercise price
                of options and the purchase price of restricted stock. Any such
                loan will bear interest at the lowest rate allowable under
                federal law. Any proceeds you receive from the sale of the
                Company's stock shall first go to repay the loan. Any such loan
                will be due and payable in any event in 5 years. All options and
                restricted stock issued to you will be pursuant to Stock Option
                Letter Agreement(s) and Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement(s)
                which include the foregoing provisions as well as other
                customary provisions.

                You may, in your sole discretion, subject to applicable
                securities laws (including requirements for accredited
                investors) and contractual agreements (including without
                limitation the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement applicable to
                the purchase of your shares), transfer all or any portion of the
                options (or stock issued pursuant to the exercise of options) or
                restricted stock held by you (including any options and
                restricted stock granted in excess of the 1,100,000 shares
                provided for herein), to any member of your immediate family,
                your siblings and the descendants of any of them (your
                "Immediate Family"), or to any trust or family

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                 partnership for the benefit of any such individuals; provided,
                 that (i) you or your spouse shall retain the right to vote such
                 restricted stock (or stock issued pursuant to the exercise of
                 options), and (ii) such options or restricted stock (or stock
                 issued pursuant to the exercise of options) shall remain
                 subject to the same risk of forfeiture and the same contractual
                 and other restrictions as would have applied to you in the
                 absence of such transfer.

                 You, any member of your Immediate Family or any estate planning
                 entity established for you or for the benefit of any Immediate
                 Family member will additionally have the right to purchase up
                 to $183,333 of the security issued in the Company's next round
                 of pre-IPO equity financing, if any.

Vacation:        Unlimited

Benefits Plan:   You will be continued to be covered by the Company's
                 competitive benefits. The plan includes all medical, dental,
                 vision, and life insurance. The Company will pay all premiums.
                 Short-term disability and long-term disability will be a 100 %
                 employee paid contributory benefit.

401(k) Plan:     The Company provides a 401(k) plan with company matching. The
                 details of the plan will be provided in a separate document.

At Will:         You should also understand that HomeGrocer.com employs its
                 employees on an at will basis. This means that your employment
                 is voluntary and for no set period. If you accept employment
                 with the Company, you will be free to resign at any time,
                 without cause. Likewise, the company will be free to terminate
                 your employment at any time, with or without cause.

Termination      If the Company terminates your employment for any reason
Without Cause    without "cause", or if you resign your employment for "good
or Resignation   reason", then (i) the Company shall pay you all compensation
By You for Good  (including base salary and bonus) due to you at the date of
Reason:          your termination, (ii) non- vested options and restricted stock
                 that would otherwise have vested over the next 6 months of your
                 employment, or 137,500 non-vested options or shares of
                 restricted stock then held by you, if greater, shall become
                 immediately vested, and (iii) the Company shall continue to
                 pay, monthly, one-twelfth of your then current annual base
                 salary plus bonus, for a period of two years after the date of
                 such termination or resignation.

Termination      For purposes of this Offer, termination or your employment by
With Cause:      the Company shall be regarded as termination for "cause" only
                 upon:

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                 (i)    your willful and continued failure to substantially
                 perform your duties with the Company after there is delivered
                 to you by the Board of Directors a written demand for
                 substantial performance which sets forth in detail the specific
                 respects in which it believes you have not substantially
                 performed your duties;

                 (ii)   your willfully engaging in gross misconduct which is
                 materially detrimental to the Company;

                 (iii)  your committing a felony or act of fraud against the
                 Company or its affiliates; or

                 (iv)   your breaching materially the terms of your employee
                 non-disclosure and invention agreement with the Company or any
                 other similar agreement that may be in effect from time to
                 time.

                 In the event of termination for cause, the Company shall pay
                 you all compensation (including base salary and accrued
                 vacation but excluding bonus) due to you on the date of
                 termination.

Resignation      For purposes of this Offer, "good reason" shall mean:
Other Than for
Good Reason:     (i)   a material reduction in your base salary or bonus,
                 without your prior written consent;

                 (ii)   a material reduction in your position, duties or
                 responsibilities, without your prior written consent;

                 (iii)  a change in your place of employment which is not within
                 a 35 mile radius of your place of employment immediately before
                 such change, without your prior written consent; or

                 (iv)   any material breach by the Company of the terms of this
                 Offer.

                 In the event of your resignation other than for good reason,
                 the Company shall pay you all compensation (including base
                 salary and accrued vacation but excluding bonus) due to you on
                 the date of resignation.

Acceleration:    In the event the Company:

                 (i)    sells all or substantially all of its assets; or is
                 acquired by another entity by means of consolidation or merger
                 after which the stockholders of the Company immediately prior
                 to the transaction hold less than 50% of the voting power of
                 the surviving corporation; and

                                      -4-
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               (ii) you are not offered a position having substantially the same
               duties and responsibilities as you had prior to such a sale or
               acquisition and comparable compensation; then;

               you will become immediately vested in all options and restricted
               stock that would have become vested had you continued in your
               then-current position for a period of 2 years from the date of
               such sale of acquisition, or in 550,000 non-vested options or
               shares of restricted stock then held by you, if greater.

               For purposes of this "acceleration" paragraph, we agree that a
               position with the online division of a major grocery chain will
               not constitute a position with similar duties and
               responsibilities. We also agree that if the capital or operating
               budgets of the Company are substantially reduced (by more than
               50%) within 6 months of any such sale or acquisition, then that
               will not constitute a position with similar duties and
               responsibilities. With those exceptions, you agree that a
               position with similar duties and responsibilities will include
               any position in which you continue to run the customer centric
               operations or the Company with full executive responsibility for
               marketing and sales, merchandising, storefront and business
               development. You also agree that you will not consider your
               responsibilities to be dissimilar solely because the acquiring
               company combines and operates warehousing, distribution and other
               similar operations.

Registration   The Company will grant you "piggy-back" registration rights for
Rights:        Company securities held by you on the same terms as those given
               to the investors holding the Company's Preferred Stock under its
               current Investor Rights Agreement.

Expenses:      The Company will reimburse any expenses you reasonable incur in
               the course of carrying your business for the Company.

Outside        You may continue to serve on all corporate, civic and charitable
Activities:    boards or committees on which you are currently serving. In
               addition, you may serve on other corporate, civic or charitable
               boards or committees (in addition to the Company's Board) so long
               as such service does not prevent you from carrying out your
               duties and responsibilities as President of the Company.

                                      -5-
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To indicate your acceptance of this Offer, please sign this letter.  We are
pleased to have you continue as HomeGrocer.com's President.

Yours very truly,
HomeGrocer.com, Inc.

/s/ John Doerr
    ----------
L. John Doerr
Director

By accepting this Offer you agree this is a full time position and you will make
every effort necessary to perform adequately the duties that are assigned to
you.

Agreed to and accepted:

/s/ Terry Drayton
    -------------
J. Terrence Drayton

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