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Amazon has commenced the biggest grocery overhaul since it acquired Whole Foods in 2017. The goal is to win over a bigger chunk of the U.S. market. Now, non-Prime users can also order groceries from Amazon Fresh stores in a dozen major US cities, including Dallas, San Francisco, and Boston. Amazon plans to roll out the facility nationwide by the end of 2023. Other target cities include Charlotte, Nashville, Denver, Oregon, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Diego, and Austin.
Before the launch of the overhaul, only Prime members could order groceries from Fresh stores. But now it’s applicable to people who don’t have the $139 Prime subscription.
Note: Non-Prime members can order from Amazon Fresh for now, but not from Whole Foods or other third-party grocers.
Amazon has also introduced delivery charges for Fresh grocery orders that bill less than $150. Earlier, delivery charges were not applicable if the overall cost of the groceries were $35 or above. Non-prime members will also have to pay the delivery charges ($4 more than the Prime members) between $7.95 to $13.95, depending on the order size.
Tony Hoggett, Worldwide Physical Stores & Speciality Fulfilment for Amazon, told Bloomberg Businessweek how they are serious about grocery. He also said how he wants to build “this really strong grocery relationship with customers over time.” Hoggett’s aim is to make Amazon perfect for shoppers looking to boost their savings and ease their grocery shopping.
Furthermore, Amazon is working to make things seamless for shoppers by integrating Whole Foods products in the warehouses, so they can buy everything that they need in one go.
Speaking about their initiative, Claire Peters, worldwide VP of Amazon Fresh, told The Verge through a statement how they want to make grocery shopping “easy, fast, and affordable” for their customers. She also said how she’s “excited to offer Amazon Fresh grocery delivery to customers without a Prime membership in a dozen U.S. cities.”
Navkiran Dhaliwal is a seasoned content writer with 10+ years of experience. When she's not writing, she can be found cooking up a storm or spending time with her dog, Rain.
