Amazon palm-payment technology expanding to all Whole Foods Markets nationwide

Amazon One is already in use at more than 200 Whole Foods Markets in the United States.

By the end of the year, Amazon said the palm payment technology will be available at all Whole Foods locations nationwide — more than 500 stores.

In the Pittsburgh region, Whole Foods Markets are in East Liberty, Wexford and the South Hills.

“By the end of this year, all 500+ Whole Foods Market locations in the U.S. will offer Amazon One for payment and Prime membership benefits.

This means Whole Foods Market customers who choose to use Amazon One will no longer need their wallet or even a phone to pay — they can simply hover their palm over an Amazon One device. For Prime members who link their Amazon One profile with their Amazon account, savings will automatically be applied. It’s that simple,” Amazon said.

Amazon said Amazon One also is being used by third-party businesses including Panera Bread. At select locations, “guests can simply hover their palm over the Amazon One device, and the Panera associate will be able to pull up their MyPanera loyalty account information, greet the guest by name, and provide a customized experience. After the order is placed, the guest can scan their palm again to pay.”

At Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies MLB team, Amazon said, “Aramark Sports + Entertainment is taking advantage of Amazon One’s “age verification” capability. This feature allows adult customers ages 21 and over to purchase alcoholic beverages by simply scanning their palm at an Amazon One device without looking for their government-issued IDs.”

First-time users can pre-enroll online with a credit or debit card, Amazon account and mobile phone number.

The customer then can complete the enrollment “by scanning their palm over an Amazon One device the next time they visit a participating Whole Foods Market store — or anywhere Amazon One is available. “

After enrollment Prime members will see savings and other benefits automatically applied to their Whole Foods Market store purchases.

“We are always looking for new ways to delight our customers and improve the shopping experience,” said Leandro Balbinot, chief technology officer 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.”