Whole Foods being purchased by...

[Hoss]

...Amazon for over $12 billion.

I would have put this in one of the Whole Foods topics but they were all over the place so I started a new topic.  Sorry about that.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/16/investing/amazon-buying-whole-foods/index.html

[heironymouspasparagus]

...Amazon for over $12 billion.

I would have put this in one of the Whole Foods topics but they were all over the place so I started a new topic.  Sorry about that.

http://money.cnn.com/2017/06/16/investing/amazon-buying-whole-foods/index.html

$13 billion bet on brick and mortar.   Whew!  Circle of Life.

[Conan71]

Actually, it makes perfect sense for them to be able to compete more directly with Wal-Mart on all fronts.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Should be interesting!  When so many brick and mortar are struggling and blaming online presence - that "THE" online store is making that big a bet on fixed locations....!  Have read the news on that a couple of times and even after an hour or two, it just isn't quite computing yet.   Maybe someone in Amazon feels like I do - I want to review and check out everything online, then I want to walk into a store and get it in my hands then.  When I decide to buy, I am into immediate gratification - just can't get that by mail order.

[Conan71]

Should be interesting!  When so many brick and mortar are struggling and blaming online presence - that "THE" online store is making that big a bet on fixed locations....!  Have read the news on that a couple of times and even after an hour or two, it just isn't quite computing yet.   Maybe someone in Amazon feels like I do - I want to review and check out everything online, then I want to walk into a store and get it in my hands then.  When I decide to buy, I am into immediate gratification - just can't get that by mail order.

So very little of what we keep in our kitchen comes pre-packaged that on-line grocery shopping will never be a reality for us.  MC and I are very, very picky about meat and produce, I won't trust some 17 year old clerk to pick my steaks, ribs, or produce for me.  Owning a B & B in a rural area, there are some items like paper goods or guest convenience items which only make sense to order online. 

[rebound]

Should be interesting!  When so many brick and mortar are struggling and blaming online presence - that "THE" online store is making that big a bet on fixed locations....!  Have read the news on that a couple of times and even after an hour or two, it just isn't quite computing yet.   Maybe someone in Amazon feels like I do - I want to review and check out everything online, then I want to walk into a store and get it in my hands then.  When I decide to buy, I am into immediate gratification - just can't get that by mail order.

Omni-Channel.  Everything, everywhere, all the time.

This is my area, and this makes perfect sense to me.   Amazon absolutely owns the ecommerce side of the market, but doesn't have B&M stores.  At the same time, Wal-Mart and others are trying hard to be accepted as a single stop for ecommerce, at least to compliment their B&M stores, but have had only marginal success.   It's been rumored for some time that Amazon was looking to open their own stores to better compete at a local level.

Amazon's plan, almost certainly,  is to offer free store-pickup for any ecommerce orders at any of the Whole Foods stores.  Then, while the customer is at the physical store, sell them the stuff that is better-suited to personal inspection. (Basically all fresh foods and meats, for example.)

This also allows Amazon to provide better service on returns.  Now they have a physical location where a customer can bring their items back for returns.  This is a removal of a significant barrier-to-sale, in that the customer now knows that they can just drop it off at the store, and don't have to re-pack the whole thing and ship it back.   

If they play it right, it could be huge for them.  Just as Wal-Mart replaced Sears years ago because Sears got complacent, Wal-Mart rested on their Laurels for a long time before getting serious about eCommerce, and let Amazon become the leader.   With Amazon offering the savings of eCommerce, combined with the service of B&M,  Wal-Mart and others should be very nervous.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Omni-Channel.  Everything, everywhere, all the time.

This is my area, and this makes perfect sense to me.   Amazon absolutely owns the ecommerce side of the market, but doesn't have B&M stores.  At the same time, Wal-Mart and others are trying hard to be accepted as a single stop for ecommerce, at least to compliment their B&M stores, but have had only marginal success.   It's been rumored for some time that Amazon was looking to open their own stores to better compete at a local level.

Amazon's plan, almost certainly,  is to offer free store-pickup for any ecommerce orders at any of the Whole Foods stores.  Then, while the customer is at the physical store, sell them the stuff that is better-suited to personal inspection. (Basically all fresh foods and meats, for example.)

This also allows Amazon to provide better service on returns.  Now they have a physical location where a customer can bring their items back for returns.  This is a removal of a significant barrier-to-sale, in that the customer now knows that they can just drop it off at the store, and don't have to re-pack the whole thing and ship it back.  

If they play it right, it could be huge for them.  Just as Wal-Mart replaced Sears years ago because Sears got complacent, Wal-Mart rested on their Laurels for a long time before getting serious about eCommerce, and let Amazon become the leader.   With Amazon offering the savings of eCommerce, combined with the service of B&M,  Wal-Mart and others should be very nervous.

Wally has been getting very good at it.  I have been forced to buy more things online this year than ever and Wally and even places like Home Depot are getting up to speed.  Have used pick up at store quite a bit - even one where it was pick up at store in another state by another person - THAT is something I have been needing for a long time!!!

I had to buy a thumbdrive not long ago - got it from Amazon (Prime is really pretty good!!)  Was delivered on a Sunday.  Free shipping.  Of course, the thing was broken and I was seriously pissed.  But got onto their site, got the replacement on the way in about 3 minutes, got the return label printed out, put the original in it's envelope and it was ready to go.  Second day got the replacement, it worked and I sent the bad one back - dropped it in the mailbox at the end of the driveway.  Except for the linear time delay of a couple days shipping for both of them, it took a total of maybe 8 to 10 minutes to complete ALL the transactions.  Very impressive.  Still would have liked to gone to store and bought, but would have had 2 round trips, and probably and hour or two time involved.  But I would not have had to wait 3 days!  It's gonna make me bipolar before it's over....

Amazon has really figured it out well.  Since I have Prime, I have access to a buttload of tv related stuff.  Movies, etc.  Don't even know what all is there.  Still working on the logistics of how to make that work.  Somewhere in the sign up process I apparently got connected to HBO without realizing it.  Called them yesterday - actually, I sent them a note asking them to call me...astoundingly fast response...faster than me calling and waiting on hold.  The guy saw I had not registered or used any of it, so he refunded everything and canceled it.  Took about 3 minutes.  Whew!  My head is still spinning from how fast and good they are!

Amazon owns the cyber-space right now, but some of these others are getting it figured out, too!  Now, if they could just drone ship me a new air conditioner for the house...and someone to install it!


Edit;  Oh, yeah...one of the kids who turned me on to Prime uses it for grocery delivery!  She travels a lot and just shops and has food delivered to the house so her kids have 'fixin's'.... She has been very happy with even the produce and meats, etc.  I am still leery about that.

[Ed W]

One of my co-workers wrote, "Who hasn't spent $13 billion at Whole Foods?"

[Hoss]

One of my co-workers wrote, "Who hasn't spent $13 billion at Whole Foods?"

It's not called "Whole Paycheck" for nothing!

[heironymouspasparagus]

One of my co-workers wrote, "Who hasn't spent $13 billion at Whole Foods?"

Just bought the wrong thing - shoulda bought stock instead of food...lol...


I think that is one of the big reasons we go to Sprouts more than Whole Foods...can always get a good portion of the list on sale at Sprouts, then go to Wally for the remainder....


Oh, yeah...I know wrong place for this, but went to Winco a couple days ago.  Interesting place.  Avocadoes - nice, ripe, not overly ripe - 48 cents each!   Bar-S hot dogs 25 cents a package of 8.  Gallon milk $1.48.  Just to name a few.   I know - just the grand opening sale prices, but still...  Not a fan of bagging my own groceries, but they have nice paper bags!

[joiei]

Now it looks like Walmart is wanting to start a bidding war.  https://www.eater.com/2017/6/23/15861432/walmart-amazon-whole-foods-bid  Possibly.