Amazon To Offer Same Day Delivery

[poohbear_nc]

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=26095

Apparently in a bid to challenge impulse buys at Walmart, Best Buy, etc. Amazon is launching a pilot program in 7 US cities - for a hefty price! Now buyers can experience instant gratification via shopping on the web. Amazon even promises same day delivery on Xmas eve! For a price.
Upping the commerce stakes again! Why travel in person to Staples, Best Buy, etc. to buy an ereader - have a Kindle delivered that day!

[HarryT]

Amazon have offered same day delivery in some parts of the UK for a while now.

[poohbear_nc]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Amazon have offered same day delivery in some parts of the UK for a while now.

But the UK is a much smaller country - not as far to walk!

[Alisa]

The fees aren't cheap but I've seen higher charges for overnight shipping and $5.99 for Prime members is pretty sweet. If this were available in my area, I'm sure I'd use it. Heck, I pay that to get a pizza delivered. Usually the unlimited 2-day is fine for me but occasionally I'm impatient and pay $3.99 for overnight. Another $2 for same-day delivery isn't much of a jump. I wonder if this will increase Prime memberships.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

But the UK is a much smaller country - not as far to walk!

True, but the same-day delivery offer applies to most of mainland UK - not just a few big cities as in the US.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Amazon have offered same day delivery in some parts of the UK for a while now.

Plus they are currently offering free delivery within the UK on most products, with no qualifying threshold.

[CleverClothe]

Originally Posted by Mike L

True, but the same-day delivery offer applies to most of mainland UK - not just a few big cities as in the US.

A few big cities in the US... IS the size of the UK. :P

[brecklundin]

Originally Posted by Alisa

The fees aren't cheap but I've seen higher charges for overnight shipping and $5.99 for Prime members is pretty sweet. If this were available in my area, I'm sure I'd use it. Heck, I pay that to get a pizza delivered. Usually the unlimited 2-day is fine for me but occasionally I'm impatient and pay $3.99 for overnight. Another $2 for same-day delivery isn't much of a jump. I wonder if this will increase Prime memberships.

I LOVE my Prime membership. I misplaced the battery charger for my main DSLR and had run out of charged batteries with a job pending...got a new charger and a few new batteries the next day for an extra $20. It would have taken me half-a-day and a quarter tank of fuel to go get them in Santa Barbara and even the Samys was not certain they actually had what I needed...plus the price was about 2x that of Amazon.

So, yup, paying a few bucks extra for same day would be sweet when I really need something. Also, recall, especially for fragile items like electronics, Amazon might provide the WORST packing in the known universe, so the less time in the hands of the shipping gorillas the better....hehehehe...

FYI, have you noticed the new program where you can order certain grocery items on Amazon and get home delivery. It too is only in a few select larger cities and I don't see how it could be expanded to everywhere but I know I it's a lot more efficient for me to have the return of home delivered groceries, you know like all grocery stores did once upon a time in America?

I really see Amazon gunning for one of the least challenged companies around and that is Costco...heck, perhaps Amazon could BUY Costco then make them the distributors for the grocery items. Instant infrastructure except for the delivery vehicles.

[Alisa]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

FYI, have you noticed the new program where you can order certain grocery items on Amazon and get home delivery. It too is only in a few select larger cities and I don't see how it could be expanded to everywhere but I know I it's a lot more efficient for me to have the return of home delivered groceries, you know like all grocery stores did once upon a time in America?

I did! I wasn't around for the days when all grocers delivered but it reminded me of just how much I miss Webvan. I was so sad when they declined and then folded. It was great to be able to select your groceries online and have them show up at your house. Of course I've never mistakenly bought 11 bunches of radishes rather than 1 at the grocery store. To their credit, they did offer to refund. I didn't take them up on it since it was my mistake.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Mike L

Plus they are currently offering free delivery within the UK on most products, with no qualifying threshold.

I've not noticed that, Mike, since I've been an Amazon "Prime" member ever since it started up, which gets you free next-day delivery on (almost) everything. Since there's scarcely a week that goes by without me buying a book, a DVD, or something else, from Amazon, it's saved me a fortune .

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I've not noticed that, Mike, since I've been an Amazon "Prime" member ever since it started up, which gets you free next-day delivery on (almost) everything. Since there's scarcely a week that goes by without me buying a book, a DVD, or something else, from Amazon, it's saved me a fortune .

Harry,

The free-delivery offer I mentioned is only temporary. It's a special offer from now until the end of the year. It certainly won't replace Amazon Prime, which as you say can save you a lot of money on delivery charges, especially if you like to order small items one at a time.

I'm not on Prime myself, but might consider joining one day. For me, the attraction would be that I wouldn't be constantly looking for extra items to buy just to make the order up the "super saver" threshold.

[Mike L]

Originally Posted by brecklundin

FYI, have you noticed the new program where you can order certain grocery items on Amazon and get home delivery. It too is only in a few select larger cities and I don't see how it could be expanded to everywhere but I know I it's a lot more efficient for me to have the return of home delivered groceries, you know like all grocery stores did once upon a time in America?

You know, I really don't mean to make this thread into a "we do it better in the UK" discussion. But I feel I must point out that we've had this home delivery of groceries for nearly ten years now.

The service covers almost the entire country, including remote rural areas. Every major supermarket offers it, at the same prices as in their stores. They will deliver within a pre-agreed two-hour time slot (seven days a week, 16 hours a day), and the driver will carry the goods right into your kitchen, even if you are on the 18th floor. If any product turns out to be below normal quality, you get an immediate refund.

The service is so well-established that around 15 percent of the population use it for their entire grocery shopping.

I guess this one advantage of living in a small, densely-populated country.

Mike

[desertgrandma]

On a related subject, I just received this e-mail....

Dear Amazon Prime Customer,

We thought you'd like to know that Amazon Prime-eligible items ordered on Thursday* will now be delivered Saturday instead of Monday. With this improvement, you now have an extra day to order weekend essentials and send last-minute gifts with FREE Two-Day Shipping.

We're working to make your Amazon Prime membership even more valuable. Start Shopping and Enjoy!

-The Amazon Prime Team

*Order as late as 5:00 p.m. EDT Thursday. Check estimated delivery dates at checkout to verify your items are eligible.



Since they ship UPS, and UPS does not deliver on Saturdays, I"m wondering how they are doing this. Has UPS started delivering on Saturdays?

I love Amazon Prime!

[BeccaAnn]

They might be using the new UPS Mail Innovation. They send the stuff UPS to a big facility and then the US Post Office picks it up and finishes delivery. I recently had DVDs delivered from the History Channel this way.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by BeccaAnn

They might be using the new UPS Mail Innovation. They send the stuff UPS to a big facility and then the US Post Office picks it up and finishes delivery. I recently had DVDs delivered from the History Channel this way.

Interesting. Thanks for the explanation.