Amazon is increasing its 30-minute “Amazon Now” service to dozens of U.S. cities, with plans to achieve tens of tens of millions of shoppers throughout the nation by the top of the yr.
The service, which GeekWire first uncovered by means of allow filings in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood final November, delivers contemporary groceries, family necessities, and different objects from small neighborhood success hubs utilizing its Amazon Flex residents’ supply brigade.
It has been restricted till now to Seattle and Philadelphia as check markets.
The corporate introduced Tuesday morning that Amazon Now could be now extensively obtainable in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Value, Philadelphia, and Seattle, and is “quickly increasing” into Austin, Denver, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Oklahoma Metropolis, Phoenix, and different cities.
The growth is the most recent and most aggressive transfer in Amazon’s push to dominate “sub-same-day” supply, a class the place it’s competing with Gopuff, DoorDash, and Instacart.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy highlighted Amazon Now in each his annual shareholder letter and the corporate’s Q1 earnings name final month, framing it as a part of a broader quest for sooner deliveries that additionally contains drones, one- and three-hour choices, and same-day delivery.
Prime members pay a $3.99 supply payment for Amazon Now, in contrast with $13.99 for non-Prime clients. Orders below $15 carry a further small-order payment of $1.99 for Prime members and $3.99 for non-Prime — a change from the flat $1.99 payment when it launched in December.
In two separate GeekWire assessments of Amazon Now in Seattle, orders arrived effectively below the 30-minute promise. Reporter Kurt Schlosser bought his supply in 23 minutes in December, and a separate stay check in the course of the GeekWire Podcast in February clocked in at 19 minutes.
Amazon additionally faces competitors from Walmart, which has been quietly hitting related speeds from its current retailer community. Walmart CEO John Furner stated in February that the corporate is averaging below an hour on Categorical Supply orders, with a big quantity arriving in lower than half-hour — with out devoted micro-hubs.
Amazon isn’t promising the quickest supply occasions. Gopuff’s Fam20 guarantees 20 minutes, and DoorDash piloted 10-to-15-minute deliveries in New York earlier than ending this system. However reliability has been a weak spot for quick supply providers, and with its logistics experience, Amazon is betting that constantly hitting half-hour issues greater than promising 10.
Walmart can be a competitor on this realm, quietly hitting related speeds from its current retailer community. Walmart CEO John Furner stated in February that the corporate is averaging below an hour on Categorical Supply orders, with a big quantity arriving in lower than half-hour.
Amazon has struggled to make the economics ultra-fast supply work previously.
Its “Prime Now” one- and two-hour supply service launched in 2014 and was shut down in 2021, and “Amazon In the present day,” which used Flex drivers to choose up orders from malls and retailers, was discontinued in late 2024 after drivers typically left shops with only one or two objects.
Amazon Now takes a special method, utilizing devoted company-operated hubs designed particularly for speedy success.
The service is accessible by means of the Amazon buying app and web site at amazon.com/now. Amazon declined to supply a full record of cities the place the service will quickly be obtainable however stated clients can test the app to see if Amazon Now could be provided of their space.
