One thing can certainly be said for Amazon: the company moves fast. The retail giant’s $13.7 billion Whole Foods acquisition only officially went through today, and it’s already moved in to mark its territory. Amazon Echo displays have begun popping up in strategic locations in Whole Foods across the country, sporting tongue in cheek signs that market the ‘farm fresh’ device as the ‘pick of the season.’
Twitter users have already reported appearances in a number of metro locations, and a spokesperson for the health food grocery chain has since confirmed that the smart assistant is being “sold in select stores.” (We shot the above at a location in Manhattan.) So, if you’ve been dying to buy an Alexa device alongside your artisanal baby bok choi, maybe call ahead first.
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Or you can always just go ahead and buy it directly through Amazon, the way Jeff Bezos intended. As of the writing of this, at least, the smart home hubs are discounted the same online as in person, at $100 for the standard Echo and $45 for the Dot, a price drop of $5 and $80, respectively. That’s admittedly a pretty big caveat and, perhaps, a sign that Amazon may be clearing out old inventory in advance of an Echo refresh, along with celebrating the acquisition.
Also, in true Amazon fashion, the company is discounting select groceries at stores across the country. We’ve reached out to the company for specifics.