Online grocery stores are becoming popular because they are convenient. You can go to them when you want and buy things without going to a store. These stores have foods that are good for your health and the environment, too! In this article, you'll learn about Thrive Market's membership basics, key features, and pros and cons of this online grocery store.
Thrive Market Review
What is Thrive Market?
Thrive Market is an online health market based in Los Angeles, California that specializes in a wide range of foods and household products at exclusive, wholesale prices – usually 25 to 50 percent off retail. Think of Costco or Sam's Club only for health foods and environmentally friendly household products.
Key Features of Thrive Market
To begin a Thrive Market review, it is important to highlight the best aspects of being a member of the site. Thrive Market features a variety of beneficial qualities that make it unique and help justify the cost of a thrive market membership.
This Thrive Market Review will help you decide if the monthly fee is worth it to your family. I want to share my honest opinion with you.
Following is a list of 9 of the biggest perks of a Thrive Market Membership
1. Prices are Cheaper than Your Local Grocery Store or Whole Foods
Thrive Market's prices are approximately 25% – 35% less expensive than retail prices at my local grocery store.
Like Costco, you save money with their wholesale prices because they have an annual membership fee of $60/year or $10/month.
If you are concerned about getting your money's worth out of your membership, Thrive market guarantees their annual membership will pay for itself. For example, if your membership was $60, and you only saved $40 in a year, they will refund you after you renew your membership.
Thrive Cash Back
Thrive Market also offers a cash back program. Thrive Cash is a way to get rewards for buying the products you already use and love. Just took for the “Thrive Cash” badge in the bottom left corner of each product image. Whenever you see this, you can expect to earn cash back for that purchase.
2. Gives Back to Low Income Families in Need
Thrive Market reviewThrive Market strives to make healthy food available and affordable to everyone. Each time a new member joins Thrive, the site offers a free membership to a low income family in need. Last year, Thrive Gives raised over $400,000 for low-income families.
3. Free Gifts
Often, orders over a certain amount (typically between $49 and $69) are eligible to receive a free gift. In the past, Thrive Market free gifts have included a free container of organic virgin coconut oil, almond butter, pasta sauce, ghee, granola bars, and more.
4. Free Shipping
Thrive Market offers free standard shipping on all orders in the United States over $49 (shipping is not available to Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, and Puerto Rico).
If your order is less than $49, the cost of shipping is still relatively low at $5.
According to the company, orders are shipped within 24 to 72 hours of being placed (most customers are satisfied with the company's shipping rates).
5. Environmentally-Friendly
This eco-conscious online shopping site prides itself on being 100% carbon neutral. Thrive Market uses packaging made from recycled materials and aim to practice sustainable methods. Thrive Market also supports fellow brands that use organic, eco-friendly growing and production techniques.
6. Efficient Packaging
7. Consistently Expanding Product Selection
The company is rapidly expanding their product selection to include a wider variety of items.
Thrive Market offers Keto, Paleo, Gluten-free options. They also offer specialty items under their brand which makes them even more affordable.
8. Non-GMO
The company does not carry any GMO – Genetically Modified Organisms – items.
This is no simple task considering over 70 percent of the food items in this country are thought to contain genetically modified ingredients. Thrive Market aims to provide organic and natural products whenever possible.
9. Savings Protection
Thrive offers a guarantee that your annual membership will pay for itself. The company states that if you fail to “make your membership fee back in saving” at the end of the year, they will automatically place the difference into your account when you renew.
For example, if you only saved $50 during the year, Thrive Market will add a $10 credit to your account upon renewal to fully cover the cost of your $60 annual fee.
PROS of Thrive Market Review
Variety
Thrive Market offers a large selection of non-perishable healthy foods (2,500 items and growing).
This is very convenient if you are following a specific diet, dietary restrictions including the paleo diet, vegan-ism, raw diets, or gluten-free diets.
In addition to a huge selection of foods – including hard-to-find items – Thrive Market also offers beauty items and products for your home, pets, and kids.
If you follow a dedicated diet or have food restrictions or just want to buy organic foods, then shopping at Thrive Market will give you many choices, and you will get the most value with you Thrive Market membership.
Organization
Thrive Market features excellent organization and user-friendly navigability. They also have a Thrive Market app. This means you have convenience at your fingertips.
For food items, they offer several healthy food categories such as “mom”, “paleo”, “raw”, “vegan”, and “gluten-free” that simplify shopping and save time.
Exceptional Customer Service
The company features amazing customer service. Customer service agents are available by phone or email and are attentive to detail, thoughtful, knowledgeable, and helpful.
Win-Win Sharing Opportunities
When you become a Thrive member, you are provided with a special link to share with friends, family, or social media followers. If someone uses your link and becomes a member, they receive a 15 percent discount off their first order and you are given $25 in your Thrive account to spend on the site.
Health Promoting Foods
Thrive Market helps make it easier to maintain a healthy lifestyle by offering products from a variety of healthy companies such as Garden of Eatin’, Bob’s Red Mill, Earth’s Best, Seventh Generation, Jason Naturals and many others. Thrive Market also has their own Thrive Market brand to help lower your food costs even more. (I personally love Thrive Market brand, and choose it whenever available).
Thrive Market CONS
Membership fee
Each year, members are required to pay a $59.95 fee. No one likes fees so the yearly membership fee is an obvious drawback (although it is possible to justify this fee through the money you save and any free gifts you receive).
To offset this fee, you need to save at least $5 per month, either through free gifts or savings in products.
As mentioned above, if you do not save at least the cost of your membership during the year, Thrive will compensate you the difference in the form of a credit to your account.
Shipping fee
My Thoughts on Thrive Market Membership
I've had a Thrive membership for a little over a five years now. I started with their 30-day trial offer so I could compare their prices with my local health food store and Amazon. The price difference was substantial.
In fact, just below I'll list a few items I purchased last month. If you tally it up, it's a savings of $42.02, which means I've almost covered the price of my membership in just one month.
My Favorite Things About Thrive Market
One of my favorite things about Thrive Market is the recipes they send with their orders. In my first order last year I got this recipe for “The Best-Ever Blueberry Muffins” made with almond flour, cardamom and pumpkin seeds. I make them often because they're gluten-free and absolutely delicious.
The second thing I love is their pasture-raised chicken. I guess I'd never tasted meat of this quality. If you want the most delicious chicken you've ever tasted, this is it!
Join Thrive Market Today
I’ve been interested in getting a Thrive membership, but was not sure if it would be worth it since I have a BJ’s membership and Amazon Prime. However, looking at some of your examples, those price differences are quite substantial for expensive healthy products. Certainly worth it to me as I buy as much healthy, GMO, grain free, etc as I can!
I’ve been interested in getting a Thrive membership, but was not sure if it would be worth it since I have a BJ’s membership and Amazon Prime. However, looking at some of your examples, those price differences are quite substantial for expensive healthy products. Certainly worth it to me as I buy as much healthy, GMO, grain free, etc as I can!
Hi Linda,
I use to shop at Whole foods and my local health foods store but found Thrive’s prices to beat them all by a long shot. Thanks for taking the time to comment and say ‘hi’ xo Jackide
This looks like a great way to shop for groceries. No more going to the supermarket and having to deal with big bags of items. I think it’s a good deal, especially for people who love to buy in bulk quantities.
Have you read any reviews by people who live outside of the US? Would be great to know about the quality of their international deliveries. And also, do they have any return or refund policies for damaged goods?
Thanks and great review!
Hi Farhan, Thrive only ships in the Contiguous US, but maybe in the future. Also, they absolutely will refund or reship for damaged goods. But, honestly they pack so well, I’ve never had that problem. Thanks for connecting and commenting.
Hi Jackie,
I really enjoyed learning about Thrive Market! I have actually never heard about this before, but am thrilled to have just read your review because it’s a service that I am definitely interested in!
The fact that they only carry non GMO products is amazing enough, but I think that it is SO cool to hear that they give back to families in need. Eating a healthy, clean diet can be so pricey, especially if you are trying to feed an entire family, so this opportunity to be a part of giving back to people who really can benefit from a service like this is actually an additional selling point in my opinion.
Thanks again for sharing about such an awesome company!
Lauren
Hi Lauren! Thank you so much for reading my review and taking the time to comment. Please come back and share your experience with me after you’ve tried them! I think you’re going to love the quality and convenience! 🙂 xo