Amazon launches ultrafast 30-minute delivery in dozens of U.S. cities

Amazon The company announced Tuesday that it is launching “ultra-fast” deliveries to get packages to consumers in dozens of cities across the U.S. in 30 minutes or less, marking its most aggressive push yet toward express commerce.

Company launches pilot of summoned service Amazon NowIn a handful of American cities in December. Additionally, deliveries in 15 minutes or less have been launched in parts of Brazil, Mexico, India and the United Arab Emirates.

Amazon said in a blog post that it will expand its service to Austin, Texas, as well as new cities like Denver, Minneapolis and Phoenix, and more areas of Seattle, Philadelphia, Dallas and Atlanta. The company said it plans to make Amazon Now available to “tens of millions of customers in these and other cities” by the end of this year, up from the millions of customers who can access it today.

Having made customers dependent on two-day delivery and next-day delivery, Amazon is working to make same-day delivery the new standard, putting more pressure on gig economy companies like Instacart, Door Indicator And Uber Eats, which ships orders within a few hours.

Amazon recently introduced 1-hour and 3-hour delivery options to more parts of the US. While the program has faced some challenges, including layoffs, security incidents, and regulatory setbacks, it has been working for more than a decade to make drone-based deliveries a reality in an hour or less.

Investments in fast shipping are valuable because they lead to higher conversion rates and keep shoppers returning to the Amazon site more often, CEO Andy Jassy wrote in his latest annual shareholder letter.

Expediting delivery may also deter shoppers from making quick trips to brick-and-mortar retailers like those below. Walmartowner launched It can deliver to 95% of homes in America in less than three hours.

Udit Madan, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations, said Amazon Now aims to give customers an ultra-fast delivery option when they “need or want” to have a product shipped quickly to their door.

“You can have everything from groceries for dinner to pre-flight AirPods to household items like laundry detergent or toothpaste delivered right to your door,” Madan said in a statement.

Products eligible for delivery in 30 minutes or less have the Amazon Now label and lightning bolt. The company also has a separate Amazon Now landing page.

Amazon uses special micro-fulfillment centers, often called “dark stores,” for deliveries. The sites, which range from 5,000 to 10,000 square feet and can stock thousands of products, are located closer to customers than Amazon’s typically sprawling warehouses, which are often located near highways or fulfillment centers.

The service relies on Amazon’s network of on-demand Flex drivers who sign up for shifts and make deliveries in their own vehicles.

Amazon has said Flex drivers will make ultra-fast deliveries using cars, but it’s open to exploring other modes of transportation for certain geographies as Amazon Now expands. The company has integrated e-cargo delivery bikes into its last-mile operations in some cities over the last few years.

The company said 30-minute deliveries will be available 24 hours a day in most areas where the service is available.

Prime members will pay a $3.99 fee for Amazon Now and an additional $1.99 fee for orders under $15, while non-Prime customers will pay a $13.99 delivery fee as well as an extra $3.99 for orders under $15.

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