While Amazon would prefer to deliver stuff without you even knowing you needed it, the company still wants to make things even more convenient for those who insist on hopping online to place their orders.
For Prime members who really hate waiting around after hitting the “buy” button, Amazon announced this week it’s taking steps to speed up its same-day delivery service.
Coming first to customers in Philadelphia, Phoenix, Orlando, and Dallas, shoppers can choose from among three million items, each one marked with a “Today by” label so that you know you can receive it in super-quick time.
It means that if you order something between midnight and 8 a.m., you’ll receive it by 1 p.m. Orders placed between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. will arrive by 6 p.m. Order between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. and you’ll get it by 10 p.m. And if you order as late as midnight, you can expect to see your package on your doorstep when you wake up (so long as the porch pirates haven’t reached it first).
It’s a big improvement on Amazon’s current same-day delivery service, which requires you to order before noon for delivery by 9 p.m.
Of course, Amazon has for a long time offered one- and two-hour deliveries with its Prime Now service, but locations are limited and it only covers around 20,000 items.
So how is Amazon able to speed up its same-delivery service and expand it to so many different products? “By storing need-it-today items in brand new facilities we built even closer to customers,” the company said in a blog post.
It describes the facilities as “first-of-their-kind buildings” designed to function as mini-fulfillment centers.
“These new facilities are in close proximity to customers, reducing the need for aircraft transport and generally decreasing the distance drivers have to travel to deliver packages to our customers,” the online shopping giant explained.
Amazon said the faster delivery speeds enabled by these new facilities will help it to lower its carbon emissions as per its Climate Pledge to be net-zero carbon by 2040, though some critics have said the company should set a much earlier target date.
Same-day delivery is free to Prime members on qualifying orders greater than $35, or with a $2.99 delivery fee on orders under $35. To see if same-day delivery is available in your area, customers can use Amazon’s zip code checker.
