Apple Pay launched just three weeks ago, and it has already accounted for 1% of all Whole Foods transactions registered during that period, according to Mikes Dudas — ex–Google, PayPal, and Braintree employee — whose calculations were based on data uncovered by Whole Foods CIO Jason Buechel (via TUAW).
Speaking with the Wall Street Journal, Buechel emphasized that Whole Foods — a grocery chain focused on natural and organic foods — has been investing heavily in technology, and the results have been positive. Whole Foods was one of Apple’s first retail partners, and since the launch of Apple Pay (on October 20), the firm has processed more than 150,000 transactions using the service.
Updated estimate: Apple Pay represented ~1% of @WholeFoods transactions in the 17 days since Apple Pay launched. pic.twitter.com/zlqHzki71B
— Mike Dudas (@mdudas) November 7, 2014
Dudas looked into Whole Foods’ stats and compared the number of transactions with the available data: considering that the chain processed more than 16.5 million transactions in 17 days, the 150,000 Apple Pay transactions accounted for 0.91% of the total.
That’s not bad for a service launched only last month, which, by the way, is limited to iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices.
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This is a good indication of the type of market that shops at whole foods too; by this, I mean the higher end of the spectrum when it comes to salary of their customers
Arguably, whole foods’ marketing and items are directed to a certain group of people who obviously make more money and who are strong advocates of a healthy lifestyle(don’t argue with me people, you know it’s true)
This group of people, with their salary, would obviously have the money to jump on an iPhone 6 or 6 plus and are willing to upgrade their phones each year to the newest models….and with the kind of company apple is(being defined as strong supporters of living a healthy lifestyle too, noted by Tim Cook), this group of people would WANT something from apple so they’d go iPhone over anything else
^ what I’ve said above could be why the adoption at whole foods was so fast? I’m a business student so I’m still learning but what do you guys think?
Go out and do a price comparison of everyday items. Although there are exceptions where Whole Foods pricing is higher, you will find many of the organic produce to be the same price or even CHEAPER than organic produce bought from any other grocery chain.
Understandable. But so are a lot of things besides food items. It just depends on how its advertised and marketed to the public
And with that said, I think my correlation still holds up well.
Really? Your correlation is based on pedestrian speculation. And I’m pretty sure I just discredited it.
And to expand on that, keep in mind that eating organic is almost a religion to those of us that believe in it, and there is little, if anything, in human nature that is stronger than one’s beliefs. Therefore, regardless of personal wealth, people will spend the money on organics, and whole foods is the best source for that in Canada.
Further, since I became vegan, my grocery bill has notably diminished, despite the huge amounts of fresh produce I buy, making whole foods a practical choice for anyone with a vegan or vegetarian diet.
So, like I said, your speculation on the subject is quite pedestrian. As a business student, you will learn that you can’t make assumptions based on a cursory glance.
What I’m saying is that people are buying into the NAME of whole foods….just because its whole foods, the goods there are marked up.
I can bug a pair of jeans at old navy for 5 dollars, I can also buy a pair of jeans that looks exactly the same at armani….but for 100 dollars. Its the name that justifies the cost. Therefore, it connects to the group of people who are regulars at whole foods and support the name as well as the products priced at that price point which ultimately defines who they are and what their likes/dislikes are. I made a simple hypothetical analysis from that and made a connection to apple. That’s all lol
And I’m simply questioning your analysis. That’s all lol
Incidentally…
“hypothetical” analysis? Time to dig out the dictionary buddy.
Lastly…
I don’t believe ANYONE shops at Whole Foods because of the name. They know the store has the best available selection (in my area at least), so it’s a convenient one-stop shop.
One more thing…
You can hunt and peck for higher prices at Whole Foods (as I had already said you could), but for the “standards”, Whole Foods pricing generally excels….
Organic Kale… cheaper than Superstore’s non-organic Kale, plus you get twice as much.
Organic Carrots… cheaper than Superstore, plus they are fresher.
Organic Broccoli… cheaper than Superstore, plus you get more, and it’s fresher.
Organic Apples… about the same price (fluctuates), but there is a huge variety.
Organic baby spinach… similar price, larger quantity, triple washed.
Al, are you an idiot? If not, you’re incredibly naive. Of course people shop at Whole Foods primarily due to it’s name. Just like many folks buy the iPhone or that LV bag because the name. #duh
PS. I expect you to start question people’s grammar and spelling because you have nothing meaningful to write. :p
Re: The name… Who’s being an idiot? An LV bag is a status symbol whose functionality can be replaced by any other bag on the market. Whole Foods is a unique source for certain types of foods. In other words, you are comparing a luxury item to a necessity.
Re: prices… You clearly didn’t read everything that was said by both of us.
I would classify chips and coffee as necessities. Not everything at whole foods is a necessity.
I think a lot of it has to do with the name of the product. A lot of people buy clothing(a necessity) from certain stores because of their name.
I wouldn’t*
I was generalizing “necessity” items as an illustration. In “general”, a grocery store contains necessities.
You never stated that. You just stated how whole foods contains unique items. Whole foods is a grocery store so I obviously took it in the most general of ways.
It shouldn’t need to be stated. The correlation of the example (the point) was obvious. You’re skipping over the point in favour of being defensive.
It wasn’t obvious, what you stated was too general in its context. Instead of saying whole foods, you should mention what exactly are the necessities and /or luxury goods you are referring to.
I said, “…comparing a luxury item to a necessity.” Can’t get more obvious that that as to what I was doing.
Now your just removing the whole foods aspect out of it….whole foods carries a lot yet you didn’t specify what you’re referring to
you’re*
I don’t think actual fruits and veggies are a good enough standard to judge things compared to actual bagged/contained,/wrapped/etc… branded products
Just countering your original example. The point was, you can pick and choose to suit your assumptions. I can name packaged products that are comparable price wise. I can also name a couple of produce items that are higher priced by comparison. The entire point being… Whole Foods does not attract the wealthy because it’s prices don’t support that theory. It’s, quite simply, a logical place to purchase groceries. Not a brand name fad.
Its a logical place to go but I know several people who can back up my theory of it being a brand name fad. I do know various vegetarians and vegans who will not shop at any other organic marketmarket(that,mind you, carry the exact same products) other then whole foods. Why? Because its whole foods, they’ve created a name for themselves that translates into the kind of clientele they attract.
Name one grocery that carries the variety, quantity, quality and price of Whole Foods.
Choices, various local/community grocery stores in my area too
Choices isn’t available across Canada, so not valid as a national generalization. Re: “various local/community grocery stores”… You didn’t read what I said. You’re just coming back with defensive replies. Therefore, this is no longer a discussion.
4 of 9 Canadian Whole Foods locations are in Metro Vancouver. Then Oakville, Mississauga, Markham, Toronto. That’s not ‘across Canada’ either.
Good point.
Doesn’t matter if it isn’t available across Canada…the fact is that they are out there, in the consumer world
I believe there’s one in the states called sprouts that’s comparable to whole foods too
Armani for $100? Have a rest m8! At least $250.
*clearly* you don’t read GQ or have much a fashion interest
duh!
A real life example that I’ve experienced when browsing the whole foods I’m Vancouver:
Saw a bag of organic tortilla chips at whole foods, they were 4.99. Saw the same exact brand, same exact bag of chips I’m the natural foods section at superstore for 2.99.
Another example:
Saw a bag of organic, fair trade coffee at whole foods for 12.99. Saw the exact same brand, same size, same item at save on foods for 9.99.
I’m not trying to prove anything or anyone wrong here. This was just a thought that came up in my mind. I’m a vegetarian so shopping for food items is an important part of my diet, my health and my life in general. Nevertheless, I enjoy going to places like whole foods(I find the atmosphere of how their stores are built very neighborly and calming haha)
I am the same way, except I go to the girly bar with the boys. :p
You’re bravery is well established then 🙂 haha
Great argument! Not!!!
All this means you were getting raped at the grocery store where you shopped before if in fact you are saving money by buying at Whole Foods. Besides, just because something is organic (like arsenic) doesn’t mean it isn’t laced with some other natural/toxic chemical. The argument of organic foods being better for you has been endless contested and disputed.
If you want to eat organic foods because they taste better and because they have only a *slight* increase in nutrients over non organic foods, that’s up to you. If you want to minimize your pesticide intake, you need to become more knowledgeable of the foods in particular the produce you buy and know exactly what [natural] chemicals have been used; otherwise the debate that organic foods is better for you not true.
You’re drinking the pesticide-laden kool-aid, buddy. You can believe what you want to believe, or you can believe the truth.
Example: I clean my organic kale, and then dirt easily flows down the drain. I ATTEMPT to clean non-organic kale, and, after a couple minutes of rinsing the sink, the chemical residue still will not clear away. Which means that toxic crud was also still clinging to my supposedly cleaned kale.
Men I’m not gonna comment on the whole chemical based issue here…don’t know much about this side of the argument haha
The fact is Whole Foods, like Trader Joes is trendy. Lots of documented data shows that for the most part, Whole Foods prices are more expensive than any other grocery chain. As far as organic foods go, that’s another can of worms altogether.
“Lots of documented data”… Really? Prove it.
‘Whole Pay Cheque’