While Amazon Fresh has a lot of benefits, one of the most important considerations for consumer sis always price.
Is Amazon Fresh more expensive than you local grocery store? And if it is, is the proce difference worth the convenience of home deliveries? We looked into ti and this is what we found….
Is Amazon Fresh Cheaper Than Grocery Stores?
It depends what grocery store you compare Amazon Fresh to. Amazon Fresh is a little cheaper than Safeway or Publix but more expensive than Costco and Trader Joe’s.
But is this an apple-to-apples comparison? Plus, if time is money, how much time are you saving by avoiding the grocery store entirely…
Let’s look into…
The Freshness Of The Product
Regardless of it’s name, Amazon Fresh products aren’t necessarily fresher than your grocery store.
And one drawback I have found is I can’t pick out salads and produce with the farthest expiration date available.
However, Amazon Fresh does provide quality products that are indeed fresh. If you’re comparing it to your local organic farmers market, then it won’t be as fresh but compared to Trader Joes, the quality is about the same.
Delivery Time
This is where convenience comes into play. The amount of time you save ordering on Amazon Fresh is a big factor for some when grocery shopping.
With Amazon Fresh, you can select a 2-hour delivery window and have your goods delivered to you home or office the same day.
The Price Of The Items
When it comes to the individual cost of items, it depends. While the cost of vegetables and fruits might be cheaper in a grocery store, since the produce directly comes from the farmers, this might not be possible for other manufactured goods. This is because Amazon gets them at a cheaper price due to the scale they are operating at.
But again, this all depends what grocery store you’re comparing against Amazon Fresh. Amazon Fresh is significantly cheaper than Whole Foods but more expensive than Costco.
What Is The Real Cost Of Amazon Fresh?
Even though the price of items might be less on Amazon, there are some other costs associated with the platform. This includes the cost of the prime subscription, without which you cannot use Amazon Fresh.
On top of this, the free delivery option is only applicable when your order is above a certain limit. This limit revolved around $35-$50 depending on the region you live in.
But you will not always need so many groceries every other day. This is where a retail grocery store has an advantage. You can simply go to the store and buy what you want, however much you want without paying any extra charges.
The usual delivery cost is $5 per order. This is more than what you would pay on average on gas if you decide to go to a grocery store.
If you want to learn even more about Amazon, check out these related posts when does Amazon charge you and how late does Amazon deliver.
Conclusion
Amazon Fresh is cheaper than some grocery stores like Whole Foods, Safeway, and Publix but more expensive than others, like Costco and Trader Joes.
You also have to factor in the cost of tipping your Amazon Fresh driver and delivery costs if your order is under their minimum $35.