Dive Brief:
- Amazon is giving Whole Foods shoppers even more time to take advantage of Prime Day with a week of deals and discounts beginning July 10, according to a company press release.
- Some of this year’s produce offers include two pounds of strawberries for $5 and organic peaches and nectarines for $2.49 per pound. In meat and seafood, Whole Foods will offer its organic, air-chilled, no-antibiotics-ever whole chickens for $2.19 a pound and wild-caught sockeye salmon fillets for $9.99 a pound. Other deals include 35% off Everyday Value trail mixes, 40% off organic plant-based protein powders and 30% off reusable water bottles.
- In addition to Prime Day discounts, Prime members who spend $10 now through July 16 at Whole Foods or on Prime Now will get a $10 credit to use on Amazon for Prime Day.
Dive Insight:
Amazon seems to be laser-focused on making this year’s Prime "Day" larger, longer and more profitable than ever, judging by the latest promotional buzz surrounding the event. Grocery, in particular, is expected to be a major sales driver for the company, according to research from Profitero.
Stretching Prime Day into a week-long affair for Whole Foods signals that Amazon wants to get more people into the grocery stores and ultimately, online for the official 48-hour Prime event. Adding special discounts for Prime members has failed to boost regular traffic to Whole Foods, but with the added incentive of $10 to spend on Amazon and the extra days for shoppers to explore deals, the extended timeline could move the needle.
Amazon has been working on broadening Whole Foods appeal beyond its hyperpremium image, and its Prime Day deals could help push that initiative forward. The hype over Prime Day could generate enough interest to draw shoppers to Whole Foods to check out daily deals and explore new products — sale or not. If the sales are up to par with customer expectations, it could also drive non-members to sign up for Amazon Prime ahead of the deal days.
Amazon’s performance in grocery on Prime Day is important. With hopes that its to-be-named grocery chain will disrupt the industry, Whole Foods is still a major testing ground for the retailer. Amazon has continued to slash prices at the natural grocery chain and add new offerings like Amazon meal kits, but has struggled to convert Prime members to Whole Foods shoppers.
