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As the article hints, this jump is likely driven in part by the millions of dollars of free advertising Whole Foods received from the news, and not simply because there were price cuts.
Will it last? When I heard about the price cuts, I went in to check it out. I pretty much never shop there, so I'm part of that 25% jump. In the end I saw no real difference and no reason to return.
Someone counted the number of items with discounts at their local Whole foods and it was only 49. http://www.mouseprint.org/2017/09/04/did-you-fall-for-the-wh...
But 50% of stuff I still get from Costco or Trader Joe's (that requires a forty minute drive).
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Someone counted the number of items with discounts at their local Whole foods and it was only 49. http://www.mouseprint.org/2017/09/04/did-you-fall-for-the-wh...
But the things on discount are the things that everyone gets. Milk, eggs, bananas, etc. I shop at whole foods (it's the only place truly 'near' to me), and the things on discount were just about the things that I always get. So I'm happy, for one. But 50% of stuff I still get from Costco or Trader Joe's (that requires a forty minute drive).
Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's probably because (As was alluded to in other threads on HN), most of the price cuts came to low-turnover specialty goods. The $8 bottle of lavender water is now $6.
That's not true at all - the price cuts were to staples like salmon, avocados, ground beef, milk, eggs, bananas, etc...
I used to shop at Whole Foods regularly back when they were Fresh Fields in the mid to late 90s. Now I find them just too expensive. Maybe it's just me, because back then, I was feeding a couple of toddlers and now I'm feeding several large eating machines.
I went to Whole Foods the week before the announcement and then again today. I was very sensitive to pricing on the first visit (and, frankly, was pretty surprised at how expensive most things were). On the second visit today, I noticed big drops in the prices of certain items, such as fish, produce, and yogurt.
For instance, I don't think there was any fish cheaper than $15/pound before the takeover, yet today Cobo Salmon behind the counter was $10/pound (sale) and shrimp was $12/pound (regular price).
It was also possible to buy organic Gala apples for $1.50/pound (sale) and cauliflower at $2.50/head (normal price).
It's not as cheap as the "normal" supermarkets in the area, but it's more competitive than before. Of course, these could be seasonal variations -- for instance, apples are in season in New England right now.
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That's not Amazon's MO, or goal with the Whole Foods purchase. They want to dominate the grocery industry like they dominate the durable goods industry.
Making money is their MO. It comes down to simple supply and demand, and it makes prefect sense to raise their prices slowly overtime.
My money is on Amazon doing what they have always done: compete with wide selections and the cheapest pricing possible while using Whole Foods to bring their Fresh delivery service to far more markets at a higher efficiency.
The real question is how long until Amazon starts to raise the prices again? It's a smart PR move if you think about it. Lower prices to get more shoppers in the door and then slowly raise prices to pre sale values. They already know people will gladly pay the higher prices.
That's not Amazon's MO, or goal with the Whole Foods purchase. They want to dominate the grocery industry like they dominate the durable goods industry.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
But the things on discount are the things that everyone gets. Milk, eggs, bananas, etc. I shop at whole foods (it's the only place truly 'near' to me), and the things on discount were just about the things that I always get. So I'm happy, for one. But 50% of stuff I still get from Costco or Trader Joe's (that requires a forty minute drive).
White label Milk, eggs, and some other stuff has always been price competitive at whole foods... Sometimes I found milk cheaper at whole foods than safeway!
I've never seen a gallon go for above 2.99(if that) at safeway and never seen one below 3.99(if you're lucky) at whole foods
Even if you have money, shopping at Whole Foods is foolish. Amazon reduced a fraction of the items prices, they are still heavily over-priced, and the food quality for the price is low. Whole Foods is a grocery store that prices it's food high to attract a certain type of consumer. That's all.
If you want high quality food, I encourage you to visit a local farmer's market. There is probably one close to you every week, or every other week. There are even larger ones or speciality ones less frequently (monthly).
At a farmer's market you'll get high quality produce, fresh that is directly from the farm. All or most of your money will be going to people actually growing or making the food, not a large corporation, food distributor, or Amazon.
I really wish we would just ban grocery stores for good and try to go back to this form of food consumerism.