$9.95 Prime / Whole Foods Grocery Delivery Fee Beginning Aug 30

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kshama2001
kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I'm south of Boston, MA and received this email today:

"Dear Prime Member,

We are writing to let you know about an upcoming change to Prime grocery delivery benefits at Whole Foods Market in your area. Starting August 30, 2021, delivery orders from Whole Foods Market in your area will include a $9.95 service fee."

I was curious if those of you who use this service in different parts of the country got this message as well.

I'm currently 20 minutes away from the store and will likely stop using the delivery service once this fee is implemented. Plus, they've historically been terrible about not knowing that items are out of stock until it's too late for me to make changes.
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Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,943 Member
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    Interesting. Has there been a fee previously? Or has it been completely free? I have never used a grocery delivery service but I know all the local big grocery stores offer it - for a fee.

    Poor amazon. They must be so hurting for cash.


    I kid.

    They have single handedly driven up the cost of living in Seattle so drastically that it's almost to the point of San Fransisco.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    cmriverside wrote: »
    Interesting. Has there been a fee previously? Or has it been completely free? I have never used a grocery delivery service but I know all the local big grocery stores offer it - for a fee.

    Poor amazon. They must be so hurting for cash.


    I kid.

    They have single handedly driven up the cost of living in Seattle so drastically that it's almost to the point of San Fransisco.

    Two hour delivery was free. One hour delivery was $4.95.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
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    Under $35 1 hour $9.99; 2 hour $4.99
    Southern Ohio
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,977 Member
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    Do you really need to buy your groceries at Whole Foods and do you really need to have your groceries delivered?

    I'm a Prime member but I joined for the free shipping on things that I buy online and for the Prime video streaming service which saves me a $20/mo on the cable boxes that I don't have to rent from Xfinity

    I shop for my groceries IN PERSON at FoodMax, Safeway, Raleys, Costco and Sprouts and am always looking for the lowest prices on those things I need and buy in bulk when it makes sense to do so.

    I did try Safeway's delivery service once but I really prefer to do the shopping myself particularly when it comes to choosing meat and produce.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Do you really need to buy your groceries at Whole Foods and do you really need to have your groceries delivered?

    I'm a Prime member but I joined for the free shipping on things that I buy online and for the Prime video streaming service which saves me a $20/mo on the cable boxes that I don't have to rent from Xfinity

    I shop for my groceries IN PERSON at FoodMax, Safeway, Raleys, Costco and Sprouts and am always looking for the lowest prices on those things I need and buy in bulk when it makes sense to do so.

    I did try Safeway's delivery service once but I really prefer to do the shopping myself particularly when it comes to choosing meat and produce.

    Every week I look at the supermarket flyers and shop in person at Shaw's, Stop & Shop, Market Basket, or Walmart, but believe it or not, there are some things that are cheaper at Whole Foods, as well as some items that are only available there.

    My Whole Foods is further away, so free delivery was very convenient, and I saved money due to lack of impulse buying. But it sure isn't worth $10 to me, and I'll stop when the new fee is implemented.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
    edited August 2021
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    OMG I will be so mad if this happens where I live. I get all my groceries from amazon wf delivery. I would stop doing it if they start charging here too.
  • yweight2020
    yweight2020 Posts: 591 Member
    edited August 2021
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    I used their delivery service since Covid began, high risk household and we've had covid. I live in California and the delivery cost is covered under our prime membership cost, I haven't received this message but even if I do I will pay for it. It's worth it to me although you're right they make mistakes and don't chose good substitutes, but every time they have given me a refund for their error. The food isn't all from whole foods it's from the amazon store also. I still get some food from my regular grocers when my daughters goes or on the occassional trip out the house I'll pick up a few items. But I highly rely on the amazon delivery and in California all of the grocery delivery services seem to charge, none of them I know of are free, instacart charges and the big grocery stores charge if they have their own service and if they don't they use instacart who charges.

    Sorry if this fee inconveniences you and makes it hard for you, you may find that it's worth it to you depending on how often you use them, I on average use them once a month although I have at least twice in one month but I make big purchases so usually I don't have to more than once. And with the fee if it comes to my area, I would make sure to only order once a month. Because on top of that I tip the delivery people so lots of money going out the door. over $35 with prime membership free under $35 there is a fee. I always spend $100's so no fee.

    It's worth it to me because to much traffic, to many people in the store who don't keep their distance, I can be doing something else with my time, it saves me aggravation, I don't like shopping so clicking on the computer and just waiting is a save for me in lots of ways. Even before this I shopped for a lot of things via internet, groceries just wasn't one of those things.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,603 Member
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    We started getting supermarket deliveries because of Covid. In the UK it is £2-£4 depending on time slot chosen. We stick to the cheap evening time slots (less traffic in central London and easier to park). We will probably continue to get heavy stuff delivered like wine, soft drinks and laundry detergent because we don't drive. We used to walk to the shops daily and will probaby buy produce daily when more restrictions are lifted.

    Since Covid, I started using a service called Farmdrop for organic free range meat and sustainably farmed fish. I will probably continue to use them because the meat is superior to stuff I find in the local supermarket. They also do hard to find stuff like duck gizzards, bones for making stock, retired dairy cow steak, whole sides of salmon. Delivery is free when the order is big enough so I fill up the freezer once a month.
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,291 Member
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    We’re rural so no one delivers groceries, and I do wish they would!

    However, Safeway started a free drive up service and I kitten love it.

    Also? Amazon is my go-to for shopping because rural and disabled means shopping is a massive pita. But Bezos can go (redacted) kitten (redacted) himself.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,603 Member
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    I am in a big city and there are a lot of start up businesses that since covid offer delivery grocery delivery services within 15 minutes of ordering. A friend of mine works for one of these start ups and although they are more expensive than visiting the supermarket at normal price, all of these start ups are more concerned about gaining market share than turning a profit at this point. They offer a lot of very deep discounts. So I would advise people who live somewhere that has this type of start up business to subscribe to their newsletter to be notified of discounts.
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56720044
  • HabitRabbit
    HabitRabbit Posts: 25 Member
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    I've don't know about Whole Foods (none near me), but I've used the pickup service at my local Walmart (in Canada) at various times during the pandemic and while the service is free above a certain amount, the online price is higher than the in-store price, so I think they get you one way or another.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,158 Member
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    HabitRabbit wrote: »
    I've don't know about Whole Foods (none near me), but I've used the pickup service at my local Walmart (in Canada) at various times during the pandemic and while the service is free above a certain amount, the online price is higher than the in-store price, so I think they get you one way or another.

    Yep. On a few occasions over the past year I thought it would be really, really nice to just do pickup at a few of our stores or even get delivery, but I couldn't justify paying the extra cost - I was willing to pay a service fee and a driver tip in the case of delivery, but for some reason having those costs added directly to the item, when I knew I could just pay 50 cents less if I went into the store, created some kind of insurmountable psychological barrier in my brain. :D
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    edited August 2021
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    sgt1372 wrote: »
    Do you really need to buy your groceries at Whole Foods and do you really need to have your groceries delivered?

    I'm a Prime member but I joined for the free shipping on things that I buy online and for the Prime video streaming service which saves me a $20/mo on the cable boxes that I don't have to rent from Xfinity

    I shop for my groceries IN PERSON at FoodMax, Safeway, Raleys, Costco and Sprouts and am always looking for the lowest prices on those things I need and buy in bulk when it makes sense to do so.

    I did try Safeway's delivery service once but I really prefer to do the shopping myself particularly when it comes to choosing meat and produce.

    Yes, I need to buy my groceries at Wholefoods - there are certain things that are much better from WH than other grocery stores. Their fresh fruits and vegetables @my WH is always fresh

    I love their harvest rolls, cereal choices, fresh fish to name a few things

    People may say they are expensive - but being expensive for one person is not the same for someone else. When it comes to treating myself, I refuse to be mean. Can't take the money with you when you are dead.

    I also shop at Costco and Harris Teeters

    I don't order groceries online because I do not trust the staff to look at the vegetables to ensure that they are not blemished or choose out of date items
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    I haven't yet got a notification that they are adding a fee in Chicago.

    I did delivery a bunch during covid (also some pickup), but have noticed it's often harder to get a slot now, so have actually gone to WF the last few months.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    HabitRabbit wrote: »
    I've don't know about Whole Foods (none near me), but I've used the pickup service at my local Walmart (in Canada) at various times during the pandemic and while the service is free above a certain amount, the online price is higher than the in-store price, so I think they get you one way or another.
    penguinmama87 wrote: »
    Yep. On a few occasions over the past year I thought it would be really, really nice to just do pickup at a few of our stores or even get delivery, but I couldn't justify paying the extra cost - I was willing to pay a service fee and a driver tip in the case of delivery, but for some reason having those costs added directly to the item, when I knew I could just pay 50 cents less if I went into the store, created some kind of insurmountable psychological barrier in my brain. :D

    Unlike Whole Foods, Instacart does a higher online than store price. This was also an insurmountable psychological barrier in my brain. I was only able to order from them once.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,886 Member
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    I'm a chef, I like to shop and I like to hand select, so it's a no go for me.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,603 Member
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    A bizarre thing happened with our supermarket delivery tonight. Apparently the delivery van was broken into and part of our order was stolen. Order cancelled but we got a £10 voucher as compensation for inconvenience. Happily there was a time slot available for delivery late tomorrow evening.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    I have a hard time making the $35 minimum order without meat, and lately all the sales on meat have been in store only. (I only get meat from WF when it is on sale.) Last sales week there were several meats that I wanted that were on sale so I went to the store.

    There was a lot more selection in the store - for example, I have not been able to get a single lemon or lime from online ordering for some time. Also in store was no limitation on quantity for one of my mother's staples.

    So I will probably just transition to in store shopping now.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    edited August 2021
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    I get meat currently from an Alaskan fish delivery order plus a farm subscription and veg/fruit from the farmer's market and my garden, so have been going into WF rarely and mostly for cottage cheese (an obsession)+avocados+pepperoncini peppers+some premade soups or rice and beans (the latter 2 in case I get in case sick/am crazy busy at work and need no fuss meals), plus my canned beans and tomatoes, based on when my pantry is low. I've been getting oils and vinegars from a more local store and same with spices. WF also still has stuff like tofu, and some dry goods. But out of season I buy a ton of produce (fresh and frozen) from WF.

    Back in the day I used to impulse buy a lot at WF (inc lots of grains), but decluttering my pantry + covid era has taught me.

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