Amazon launches monthly grocery delivery subscription for Prime members
Amazon has launched a new optional perk for Amazon Prime members and EBT recipients that offers unlimited grocery delivery for a monthly fee.
Available to Prime members in more than 3,500 cities and towns across the U.S., the subscription costs $9.99 per month and provides unlimited grocery delivery from Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and other local grocery and specialty retailers on orders over $35.
This subscription is also available to customers with a registered electronic benefits transfer (EBT) federal benefits card for $4.99 per month. Customers can initially test the service with a free 30-day trial membership.
The subscription includes one-hour delivery windows at no extra cost, unlimited 30-minute pickup on orders of any size, and priority access to the Recurring Reservations advance scheduling feature for a weekly grocery order.
In addition, participating customers will receive unlimited delivery on orders more than $35 placed with local grocery and specialty retailers such as Cardenas Markets, Save Mart, Bartell Drugs, Rite Aid, Pet Food Express, and Mission Wine & Spirits via the Amazon site.
According to Amazon, this new grocery benefit provides access to a selection of nearly 100,000 grocery items across Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and participating local grocery and specialty retailers.
Prime members who subscribe to the benefit will also continue to receive exclusive savings in Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh stores. Orders can be placed for either delivery or in-store pickup.
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, according to Amazon. It follows Amazon making grocery delivery and free pickup available to customers without a Prime membership in all U.S. locations where Amazon Fresh is available in November 2023.
Amazon piloted its grocery subscription with Prime members in Columbus, Ohio; Denver, and Sacramento 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.
"This new grocery subscription benefit provides even more value and savings on delivery fees for customers who regularly order groceries from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and the variety of local grocery and specialty retailers on Amazon.com," said Tony Hoggett, senior VP of worldwide grocery stores at Amazon.
"Our goal is to build a best-in-class grocery shopping experience—whether shopping in-store or online—where Amazon is the first choice for selection, value, and convenience," said Hoggett. "We have many different customers with many different needs, and we want to save them time and money every time they shop for groceries."