It’s well-known that Amazon and Walmart are in fierce competition. Despite this, there aren’t many times when Amazon seems to be the underdog. Some recent moves by the online retail giant reveal a growing level of heat between it and Walmart, specifically when it comes to groceries.
Examples of this include its decision to make Amazon Fresh free for Prime members, and now the official announcement of an upcoming grocery store that will be separate from Amazon Go and Whole Foods Market.
New Amazon grocery store slated for 2020
When Amazon publicly posted job openings for its “first grocery store” earlier this morning, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before the company needed to make an official announcement. It didn’t take long, with the company unveiling several helpful details regarding what customers can expect.
“When it comes to grocery shopping, we know customers love choice, and this new store offers another grocery option that’s distinct from Whole Foods Market, which continues to grow and remain the leader in quality natural and organic food,” an Amazon spokesperson confirmed via CNET.
While the statement above is certainly helpful, it leaves out a whole lot of details. For starters, we don’t know if locations outside of Woodland Hills are in the works, what types of items will be sold there, and how affordable everything will be.
One thing we can be certain about is that it will differ from Whole Foods Market and Amazon Go. With no mention of Amazon Fresh, there’s a possibility that it could be an expansion of it. Especially with its recent pricing change that made it free to use for all existing Prime members.
9to5Toys’ Take
When I need something, Amazon is one of the first places I look. Well, except for food. While I’ve shopped at Whole Foods Market over the years, it’s infrequent and nothing about the experience makes me think of Amazon. Additionally, Whole Foods Market is an entirely different experience from Walmart, meaning it doesn’t really bolster direct competition.
With a new Amazon grocery store in the works that’s separate from Go and Whole Foods Market, it seems obvious that this brick-and-mortar location could be the start of direct competition with the traditional grocery shopping experience. Other strategies could include an upcoming delivery option like Walmart InHome, but a lot more locations will have to pop up before Amazon has any hope of operating at the scale of its largest competitor.
Source: CNET
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