Amazon Prime subscribers now get free one-hour grocery pickup at all of Whole Foods’ 487 US stores, Amazon announced today. The news marks an expansion of Whole Foods’ existing pickup service, which was previously only available at select stores, according to CNBC. Orders costing $35 or more are eligible, and thousands of items including fresh produce, meat and seafood, and other staples are available for pickup.
Pickups have become increasingly popular during the pandemic as people attempt to social distance. Businesses ranging from electronics retailers like Best Buy to local restaurants have relied on them to allow people to shop safely. But Amazon says it expects the trend to continue even after the worst of the pandemic has passed, citing research that suggests that almost 68 percent of people plan to continue using curbside pickup services in the future.
This is the latest expansion Whole Foods has made to its pickup services this year. Back in April the company expanded the service from around 80 of its stores to over 150, CNBC notes.
Whole Foods isn’t alone in expanding its pickup options. Back in June, Target announced plans to offer fresh grocery pickup in over 1,500 of its stores by this year’s holidays. Meanwhile, Walmart offers grocery pickups at hundreds of locations across the country. Both stores currently dwarf the size of Whole Foods in terms of retail locations. Walmart has over 4,700 stores in the US, while Target has over 1,800, compared to less than 500 locations for Whole Foods.
Amazon says customers can access the pickup service via the Whole Foods tab in its app or website. At checkout, you select a one-hour pickup window, and then use the app to let the store know you’re on the way when the time comes. Amazon says most people only wait one minute to receive their orders.
