Study: Amazon is getting a ‘whole’ lot more from its latest acquisition

While Amazon’s purchase of Whole Foods Market signifies a staggering boost in its physical store breadth, the deal is much more valuable than that.



This is according to “LandMark Insights,” a report from PlaceIQ. The study analyzed more than 165 million anonymous and opted-in mobile device signals nationwide to determine visitation patterns and audience affinities, among other metrics. These transactions were compiled over a 90-day period.



According to the data, Whole Foods is proving it is so much more than a grocery store where shoppers stock up on a week’s worth of groceries for a family of five. Rather, for many customers, it is a “grab-and-go” spot for lunch or dinner, and visits can spike all day long.



Whole Foods receives 12% more traffic during lunchtime than any other time of the day. Meanwhile, Kroger Co. sees their spike after work around 5 p.m. — prime shopping time for customers picking up ingredients for their family dinner or restocking for the rest of the week. Whole Foods’ changing role throughout the day will be valuable to Amazon going forward. Specifically, the online giant will be able to address two different customer occasions within a single location, the report revealed.



Meanwhile, Amazon is gaining a new type of shopper, one that invests their time — and money — during each Whole Foods visit. For example, Whole Foods shoppers are willing to travel the farthest to buy in-store -- traveling an average of 5.51 miles. Kroger customers tend to opt for convenience, only traveling an average of 3.4 miles, the study said.



The one area that may be new to Amazon is that Whole Foods customers tend to shop regularly with other grocers. For example, Kroger shoppers are 58% more likely to return on a weekly basis, while Whole Foods customers are only 10% likely. While shoppers are willing to travel farther to a Whole Foods, oftentimes, it is for select items and many times on a one-off basis, data revealed.