US: Amazon introduces 9.99$ grocery delivery subscription to Prime

Amazon Prime subscribers in the United States can now request as many grocery deliveries as they like per month, provided they reach a minimum spending threshold and pay an additional cost.

For orders above $35, unlimited grocery delivery from Whole Foods Market, Amazon Fresh, and other nearby grocers and specialized shops is available for $9.99 per month. According to Amazon, the new delivery service has features like one-hour delivery windows and is accessible in more than 3,500 cities and towns nationwide. It was announced on Tuesday.

According to Amazon, the monthly cost for SNAP recipients is $4.99. To participate in the food delivery program, recipients of food stamps must have a registered Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card; Prime membership is not necessary. The annual fee of Prime is $139, or $14.99 each month.

Prime members will receive “unlimited 30-minute pickup on orders of any size” as well as “one-hour delivery windows at no extra cost where available.” The company claims that they also get “priority access” to its “Recurring Reservations” service for Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh through it.

“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. We have many different customers with many different needs, and we want to save them time and money every time they shop for groceries.”

After testing the service in three cities last year, Amazon said that it is now expanding the initiative nationwide. The company reports that over 85% of trial participants considered it a success, citing cost savings on shipping and convenience.

According to the firm, Amazon’s attempt to help low-income consumers receive inexpensive grocery services includes including food stamp customers in the program.