This story was updated in November 2023.
When is Amazon not trying to find new ways to be anywhere and everywhere? For instance, Whole Foods isn’t just for grocery shopping these days — it’s also a place to deal with your Amazon returns.
Whole Foods began accepting Amazon returns at some of its stores in 2017, the same year the e-commerce company acquired the grocery chain. But returning items at Whole Foods' Amazon lockers has been growing since 2020. As someone who is almost always busy with something, the thought of killing two errands with one stone by grocery shopping and making returns is certainly appealing.
So how do you do it? Follow along as I make a trip to my local Whole Foods return kiosk for an Amazon return.
What You Need To Know Before Making an Amazon Return at Whole Foods
First, you need to know that returning an Amazon item at Whole Foods doesn't require boxing or labeling. Just show up at the drop off location the item you need to return and the return confirmation completed on your phone; you will be emailed a code.
When I got there, I realized I still needed to download screenshots of the labels to my phone to scan under the device. Pro tip: Do this beforehand at home in case you can’t catch a strong signal.
The customer in line ahead of me had made a grave mistake; she had accidentally dropped a package that should've gone through UPS into the Whole Foods locker and was panicking. We tried to open the box to see if we could yank it back out, but alas: Once it’s gone, it’s gone. So keep that in mind and be careful with how you click through Amazon to return your items. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t panic. Redditors who have been through this suggest that eventually your return will go through.
The other thing I realized: If you have something huge to return that can't fit in the box, you’re going to need customer assistance — so don’t expect to take care of the item on your own through the kiosk.
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The Whole Foods Amazon Return Process
The process for returning an Amazon package at Whole Foods is quite easy.
- First, start your return on Amazon.com. You’ll usually have 30 days to return your item after starting the process. You’ll see a number of options for shipping back your item, and if there’s a Whole Foods near you, it will show up as one of them.
- Go to a Whole Foods Market near you. You can either have an associate help you at customer service, or you can use the kiosk directly. Scan the Amazon return QR code off your phone, throw your items in a provided bag, print and label the bag, and toss it in. Done.
Related: Think Twice: Amazon Now Warns Shoppers About 'Frequently Returned' Products
The Verdict
I followed all these steps and received an email in my inbox a couple hours later stating that my return had been issued. Is the whole process easier than going to my local UPS, where they also accept returns that aren’t packaged and labeled? Only in that there wasn’t a long line like there often is at UPS. At my local UPS, they also handle printing the label and bagging. But if I want to combine returns with grocery shopping, doing a Whole Foods Amazon return is worth it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Whole Foods’ Amazon return hours?
Check with your local store – if your location has associates that help process the returns, the customer service hours may vary from the grocery store hours.
Do I have to be a Prime Member to make Amazon returns at Whole Foods?
Nope, it’s the same return process whether you have Prime or not. But whether it’s free to return your item may be based on your membership or return location.
What other retailers accept Amazon returns?
Amazon makes it convenient to return your items. Besides Whole Foods and UPS locations, Amazon purchases can be returned at Amazon Hubs, Amazon stores, and select Kohl’s and Staples stores.
What can’t you return at a Whole Foods kiosk?
Some stores may not be able to accept kiosk returns for items greater than a certain size or that don’t meet shipping standards. Amazon lists its return policies for most items on their site. Gift cards, flammable items, and some food and grocery items usually cannot be returned.