Amazon launches an unlimited grocery delivery subscription
Get your groceries for free(ish) for orders over $35.
www.theverge.com
Amazon is bringing back free(ish) grocery deliveries for orders over $35 in the form of a new monthly subscription program the company announced today. It's $9.99 per month for Prime members and includes unlimited one-hour grocery delivery where it's available, as well as unlimited 30-minute grocery pickups, with a half-cost option for low-income non-Prime members who qualify.
Amazon launched a trial of the subscription in three cities last year but now says it's available in 3,500 cities across the US. Deliveries include groceries from Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh but also local grocers and specialty retailers that it's partnered with. Subscribers get "priority access" for recurring weekly groceries, too.
This new subscription could be a boon for those participating in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), as it can often be harder for them, physically, to get groceries, either due to time or physical limitations. There's still a $4.99 monthly fee, though, and SNAP beneficiaries can't pay that with their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card.
Amazon announced in December that it was testing the subscription, which sits on top of the standard $14.99 per month (or $139 per year) Prime membership. The company has been tinkering with its grocery delivery program for some time, having started out with free deliveries for orders over $35 originally. It raised the free delivery threshold to $150 last year, then lowered it to $100 several months afterward. For now, the company is offering the subscription as a 30-day free trial to anyone who hasn't used it before.
Press release:
Today, we are excited to launch a grocery delivery subscription benefit to Prime members and customers using EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) in over 3,500 cities and towns across the U.S.
At $9.99 per month for Prime members, this subscription—which pays for itself after just one delivery order per month—offers unlimited grocery delivery on orders over $35 across Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and a variety of local grocery and specialty retailers on Amazon.com, and even more convenient delivery and pickup options. Customers with a registered EBT card can experience the same grocery subscription benefits without a Prime membership at just $4.99 per month. A free 30-day trial is available so customers can see how this grocery delivery subscription works for them.
For one low, monthly fee, customers can shop national name brands and delicious organic and natural foods as often as they need, when they need it. The subscription includes one-hour delivery windows at no extra cost where available, unlimited 30-minute pickup on orders of any size, priority access to Recurring Reservations for a weekly grocery order, as well as unlimited delivery on $35+ orders from local grocery and specialty retailers like Cardenas Markets, Save Mart, Bartell Drugs, Rite Aid, Pet Food Express, and Mission Wine & Spirits.
For customers who prefer to purchase their groceries more regularly—whether ordering delivery or pickup—this new grocery benefit will save them even more time and money on our vast selection of nearly 100,000 grocery items. Here are the details:
We piloted our grocery subscription with Prime members in Columbus, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; and Sacramento, California, in late 2023. In a recent survey of grocery subscribers from the pilot, more than 85% of respondents shared that they are extremely or very satisfied with the unlimited free delivery benefit. Some of the top reasons customers shared for staying a subscriber following the trial were saving money on delivery fees, and the service making their grocery shopping experience more convenient. One customer shared, "My Whole Foods orders are truly excellent. They always do an amazing job with fresh produce and meat, and with selecting substitutions when necessary. This has made a huge impact on my satisfaction with Whole Foods grocery delivery and is the #1 reason I choose it over other delivery services."
- For $9.99 per month, Prime members in more than 3,500 cities and towns across the U.S. have access to unlimited grocery delivery on orders over $35 from Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and the variety of local grocery and specialty retailers available on Amazon.com. Prime members who subscribe to the new grocery delivery subscription benefit will also continue to enjoy exclusive savings in Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market stores—on top of all the other savings, convenience, and entertainment that come with Prime—in one single membership.
- As part of Amazon's work to help low-income customers more affordably shop for groceries, customers with a registered EBT card can receive a discounted subscription fee of $4.99 per month to receive the grocery delivery subscription without a Prime membership.
- Subscribers will also have access to unlimited delivery for orders over $35 from local grocery and specialty retailers like Cardenas Markets, Save Mart, Bartell Drugs, Rite Aid, Pet Food Express, Mission Wine & Spirits, and more where available.
- Grocery delivery subscribers receive convenient delivery and pickup time slots for grocery orders from Whole Foods Market and Amazon Fresh. This includes one-hour delivery windows at no extra cost where available, unlimited 30-minute pickup on orders of any size, and priority access to Recurring Reservations for their weekly grocery order.
- The subscription pays for itself in as little as one delivery order per month from Whole Foods Market, or one delivery order per month from Amazon Fresh for under $50.
Prime members and customers with a registered EBT card can learn more about how Amazon is making grocery shopping easier, faster, and more affordable through the grocery subscription benefit, and sign up here.
Prime members who shop at Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market can also score exclusive deals both online and in-store. Eligible Prime members can earn unlimited 5% back on their purchases when using their Prime Visa online at Amazon.com, or when shopping online or in-store at Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market.
Amazon’s new grocery delivery subscription offers big savings to Prime members and EBT customers
Prime members and customers with a registered EBT card can now get a low-cost monthly subscription with unlimited grocery delivery on orders over $35 from Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and other local grocery and specialty retailers—a benefit that pays for itself in as little as one delivery…
www.aboutamazon.com
Last edited: