Going to the grocery store is one of my favorite things. Some people do not feel this way at all. I like to go to grocery stores when I travel to see what's new and different at them. But every once in a while I too, do not want to go to the grocery store. Sometimes it's too cold, sometimes I just have one too many things to do but we need food in the house. Grocery delivery isn't new to my area, but other options have extra fees so I rarely used them.
But now that Amazon is delivery groceries for Prime members from Whole Foods Market via Prime Now, I gravitate towards it a little more. I especially like to use it when I need more specialty groceries than the nearby grocery store doesn't have, like City Roots microgreens or Camembert cheese.
While Prime Now delivery is easy, there are a few things to consider that I wanted to share about the Whole Foods Prime Now delivery experiences we've had. Plus I have some tips on how to have a great Prime Now delivery.
Request Substitutions
If they are out of something, you're still probably going to want something similar right? Or at least the opportunity to decide if you want it. Always check the box for replacements and you'll get a text from your Whole Foods shopper asking for example, if you are okay with organic cilantro because they are out of regular. You can then text back if you want them to make that switch or not.
Packing Requests
Once I got my first delivery I couldn't believe how loosely the bags were packed, especially the cold bags. You can add a delivery note telling the shopper to pack the cold bags as full as possible to minimize waste. These silver cool bags cannot be recycled, though they are great to reuse for picnics, or as a lunchbox when the zipper on yours breaks unexpectedly. But the less used on each delivery, the better. Ask for them to pack it better and they should oblige you.
A One Hour Window Probably Isn't Necessary
You can choose to have your groceries delivered within an hour for an additional $4.99, but if you choose a two plus hour window, it's free with a $35 purchase minimum. This may vary in different cities, but all of our deliveries have come in less than two hours. My first, made on a Saturday midmorning, clocked in at 1 hour and 5 minutes from order to door, and I live about 15-20 minutes from Whole Foods depending on traffic. Test it out in your area and see how quick they are before springing for the quicker option, to save a few bucks.
Tipping
Someone I know told us that the drivers don't get the tips that Amazon auto adds to the delivery orders, which begins at $5. On my first order, I didn't even notice the $5 tacked on to it, but did on subsequent uses. This story in the LA Times is a lot like the one the acquaintance told my acquaintance. The drivers earn a base of $18, but if you tip $5, the driver still gets paid $18 an hour, but Amazon only chips in $13, using the $5 you tipped to bring their hourly rate to $18.
I don't know how true it is in all states, but it's something to be aware of before you let Amazon auto add a tip on your behalf. This is not an anti-tip tip, just a tip about how tipping may work on Prime Now orders so you can decide how you may want to handle it.
With all of that in mind, Amazon's Prime Now delivery from Whole Foods has pretty reasonable prices on their site, and I've gotten groceries for similar prices as I'd get at the regular grocery, except yes, my Whole Foods orders do cost more — because I am ordering $8 wheels of Camembert or edible flowers. Another thing of note, you cannot order beer or wine for delivery (at least not in South Carolina).
If you don't have Amazon Prime yet, sign up to get Amazon Prime right here. It's not something I will be using on a weekly basis because I do love going to the grocery store myself to see what's new and to touch and feel the produce myself, but this is a really great option to have available. Happy clicking and shopping!