Amazon to Lower Prices at Whole Foods

[Steve Kroll]

No more "Whole Paycheck?"

Amazon.com says their first order of business at Whole Foods will be to lower prices. I have one of these stores across the street from where I work. I eat lunch there often, and occasionally pick up food to take home and cook for dinner (high prices aside, it's convenient for me and within walking distance). So I'm interested to see what changes they will make.

Amazon: We're lowering Whole Foods prices on Monday - Aug. 24, 2017

 

[CubsGal]

I shop at Whole Foods every week, usually multiple times per week. It sounds like the majority of its price changes are going to be on organic items, which I don't generally buy unless they happen to look better than their non-organic counterpart. I'm more intrigued by this Amazon locker idea. I don't have Amazon Prime and I don't often buy from Amazon, but I can see people finding this useful because they won't have to make a separate trip to the post office to return something to Amazon. But will it really work in practice? I'll be watching for the changes over the next year to see if Amazon destroys my pleasant Whole Foods shopping experience. My husband thinks they are going to ruin it and make it like shopping at Walmart. I think that's an overstatement, but time will tell.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Considering that Whole Foods tends to be in pricier areas, I doubt they will become like Walmart. A more likely scenario to me would be something akin to Target, except with food.

 

[CraigC]

Considering that Whole Foods tends to be in pricier areas, I doubt they will become like Walmart. A more likely scenario to me would be something akin to Target, except with food.

Super Targets have full grocery departments.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Super Targets have full grocery departments.

Yes, I'm aware. They're headquartered here in Minneapolis and I used to do consulting work for them.

As far as Whole Foods goes, I mean ONLY food. I don't really see them selling clothing and housewares. But who knows.

 

[CubsGal]

Considering that Whole Foods tends to be in pricier areas, I doubt they will become like Walmart. A more likely scenario to me would be something akin to Target, except with food.

Well, our Whole Foods is a block away from a Wal-Mart. And while that Wal-Mart might be a bit nicer than some I've been in, it's still a Wal-Mart; meaning awful. It's not the area that makes Wal-Marts terrible places to shop, it's the fact that they are Wal-Marts. I only enter them if I can't find something anywhere else. But I do agree that it's unlikely they will get that bad. I can handle them being Target-like. I love Target.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

We had a Whole Foods here in cowboy-ville for a very short time and then,
*POOF*
they were gone!
Now the closest is 54 miles away.
DH just shouted from his den that typical food stores only profit $1 for every $100 in food revenue.

 

[kleenex]

I shop at Whole Foods every week, usually multiple times per week. It sounds like the majority of its price changes are going to be on organic items, which I don't generally buy unless they happen to look better than their non-organic counterpart. I'm more intrigued by this Amazon locker idea. I don't have Amazon Prime and I don't often buy from Amazon, but I can see people finding this useful because they won't have to make a separate trip to the post office to return something to Amazon. But will it really work in practice? I'll be watching for the changes over the next year to see if Amazon destroys my pleasant Whole Foods shopping experience. My husband thinks they are going to ruin it and make it like shopping at Walmart. I think that's an overstatement, but time will tell.

Well next week you can really tell us if they cut prices or not

 

[Uncle Bob]

I can see....Organic Cantaloupes $1.99 Ea./ $1.79 Ea. for Amazon Prime Members.

 

[kleenex]

We had a Whole Foods here in cowboy-ville for a very short time and then,
*POOF*
they were gone!
Now the closest is 54 miles away.
DH just shouted from his den that typical food stores only profit $1 for every $100 in food revenue.

1-2% is fair profit. They have to make it up on volume.

 

[TATTRAT]

Amazon cuts prices at Whole Foods by up to 43 percent on first day

The price comparison chart looks promising.

 

[Just Cooking]

Whenever I see a company reduce pricing dramatically, my mind always wonders why the prices were that much higher before.

That doesn't mean I don't understand special buys being passed on to the customer..

Ross

 

[kleenex]

Amazon cuts prices at Whole Foods by up to 43 percent on first day

The price comparison chart looks promising.

I think the chart fully messes up the Organic Rotisserie Chicken price though.

They certainly did lower prices, but I do not think they moved it down enough on some items to really impact the rest of the grocery store chains.

 

[CubsGal]

Eh, I didn't notice a change at all, but that's because I don't buy organic. I'm perfectly content with conventionally grown/raised foods, so this "amazing" price reduction has zero impact on me as a shopper.

 

[skilletlicker]

There is a Whole Foods relatively close. I don't shop there cuz it's a Whole Lot more expensive. I'm hoping that price changes to a relatively small number of products are only the beginning. I wouldn't mind paying a little more if there was a good reason. Prestige isn't a good reason though.

 

[bakechef]

Whenever I see a company reduce pricing dramatically, my mind always wonders why the prices were that much higher before.

That doesn't mean I don't understand special buys being passed on to the customer..

Ross

It's charging what their clientele will pay. There was a time not long ago that they almost had the corner on the market with organic and natural foods. Now grocery stores are making it much more convenient and inexpensive, so it's been hurting Whole Foods for a while.

We have an upscale grocer here that does really well in spite of having higher prices than just about everywhere else. Their stores are very "upscale" looking so people feel that they are getting better quality for the price. Some shop at the higher priced stores as because of their image, some only shop a certain store out of habit, and have no idea how much they are overpaying.

 

[roadfix]

Yeah, it's also the perception of getting better quality food. My wife buys into that perception as she likes to shop at some of these upscale grocers, whether they're national or local chains of grocers.

 

[CubsGal]

As a regular shopper at Whole Foods, it's not just about it being "upscale" and looking nicer. I couldn't care less about that. The service is better. It's not just that they can direct you where to find something. The employees know about food and their products. The meat department is better. The selection of locally made items is better. There are things there we simply cannot get at a large chain grocery store. I don't buy organic. I'm happy to eat GMOs. All of that is just hype to me. But I am willing to pay more for a pleasant shopping experience and good service. I don't care how cheap Walmart is, I won't shop there, because it's a miserable place to shop. Publix has good service, but they don't sell local products we enjoy. Whole Foods serves more of a purpose than to swindle people into thinking they are getting something better than they are.

 

[johnperkins899]

Considering that Whole Foods tends to be in pricier areas, I doubt they will become like Walmart. A more likely scenario to me would be something akin to Target, except with food.

I think about this too. It would be like Food-Walmart