Amazon Expands Palm Payments to All Whole Foods Stores
Palm payments will soon be available at all Whole Foods locations nationwide.
Amazon is expanding its proprietary palm-based payment system across its network of over 500 U.S. Whole Foods stores, enabling customers to make purchases using their hands.
In April 2023, Amazon trialed the frictionless payment solution at 11 select Denver Whole Foods locations. In August last year, Whole Foods Markets kickstarted Amazon One-enabled contactless checkout solution across all 65 of its California stores.
Back in March, Panera Bread partnered with Amazon One to roll out contactless payment at select stores in Panera’s native St. Louis, with plans to build out to additional locations in the future. The initiative was also designed to bolster loyalty and personalization efforts, with users who linked their MyPanera account to Amazon One able to make contactless payments and receive personalized customized meal recommendations based on previous purchases.
How does it work?
Shoppers looking to utilize the new payment option must first link their palm and debit or credit card at a participating kiosk or a point-of-sale station. Once this stage is completed, customers can enter Amazon One-enabled stores by holding their palm above a scanning device.
Once shoppers have gathered their items, they check out and pay by holding their hand over a scanner before exiting the store. Dash Cart works according to a similar model, inviting shoppers to log in through a QR code in the Whole Foods Market app, add and scan items as they shop, then exit the store through the Amazon Dash Cart lane once the visit is complete.
“We are always looking for new ways to delight our customers and improve the shopping experience,” said Leandro Balbinot, CTO at Whole Foods Market. “Since we’ve introduced Amazon One at Whole Foods Market stores over the past two years, we’ve seen that customers love the convenience it provides, and we’re excited to bring Amazon One to all of our customers across the U.S.”
