Whole Foods Is Starting To Charge Prime Members With Grocery Delivery Fees
When Whole Foods and Amazon joined forces a few years back, it was a dream come true for Prime members. Offering up Whole Foods Prime deals and free two-hour delivery to everyone who was a part of the Prime family, it may have felt like the good times would never end. That was until recently, when Whole Foods announced that Prime members would now be charged delivery fees for groceries.
Beginning August 30, Amazon will be tacking on an additional fee of $9.99 for deliveries from Whole Foods for Prime members. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on where you live), the new fee will only be applied to Prime members who reside in six specific cities. Those who live in the greater Detroit area; the Greater Boston area; the Greater Chicago area; Portland, Maine; Providence Rhode Island; and Manchester, New Hampshire can expect to see the new fee as a part of a new pilot program that Amazon is rolling out. But why are they adding on an additional almost $10 to those who are already paying for a yearly Prime membership? Apparently it's to be able to continue selling Whole Foods items at the same price.
According to Bloomberg, Amazon sent a notice to customers stating that the additional $9.99 will serve as a "service fee" to help cover operating costs. Additionally, the e-commerce company told Food & Wine that while operating costs for the delivery business have increased, they have opted to test out adding fees to the deliveries themselves instead of upping the price of the groceries.
Don't fret just yet though. Other benefits that Prime members receive are still available. Meaning the Whole Foods Prime deals, the five percent you receive back when purchasing with the Amazon Prime Rewards Credit Card, and more will all still be the same. Of course, grocery pickup will remain free in those areas, too.
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