Amazon rolls out 1-hour, 3-hour delivery in latest fast shipping test

Amazon The company said Tuesday it will begin one-hour and three-hour deliveries in some parts of the U.S. as it continues to find ways to satisfy impatient consumers.

The company said three-hour delivery is possible in about 2,000 cities and towns in the U.S., while one-hour delivery is possible in hundreds of those areas.

“Our customers are busier than ever and are looking for new ways to save time while keeping their homes running,” Udit Madan, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations, said in a statement.

More than 90,000 items are eligible for delivery in three hours or less, including pantry items, cleaning supplies, over-the-counter medications, clothing and toys.

Amazon said it hopes to roll out the service, which began with small-scale testing late last year, to more parts of the country in the coming months.

“We’re excited to say that two decades after Prime launched, we’re still innovating to make delivery even faster while maintaining the everyday low prices and wide selection of products Amazon is known for,” Madan said.

Amazon has added a window shopping page to regions where options are available, and shoppers will be able to filter search results for items that can be delivered within an hour or three. Users can also check out Amazon’s ultra-fast delivery options. Hurry up area.

Amazon got consumers hooked on fast shipping in 2005 by launching its Prime loyalty program as well as free, two-day shipping. By 2019, it made one-day shipping the standard, and in the years since, it has spent money and resources expanding same-day delivery. Same day orders usually arrive within a few hours.

In its quest to make deliveries even faster, Amazon has experimented with a number of programs that try to leverage its expanding fulfillment network and an army of on-demand Flex gig workers.

The company shut down its standalone Prime Now express delivery service in 2021. Amazon has discontinued a service that promised fast deliveries from malls and brick-and-mortar retailers in 2024.

Recently, the company has been testing 30-minute delivery of household items and fresh groceries with a program called Amazon Now. The service is being piloted in Seattle, Washington and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as international markets such as the United Arab Emirates, India, Brazil and Mexico.

Amazon has also been working to launch drone-based deliveries in an hour or less for more than a decade, and initially launched the service in two small test markets but has since expanded several cities.

Other retailers are increasingly competing with Amazon on speed.

Walmartmaintaining a large brick and mortar footprint, launched It can deliver to 95% of homes in America in less than three hours. Swing trading players love: Instacart, Door Indicator And Uber Eats also offers products from a growing number of retailers within hours.

Prime members will pay $9.99 for one-hour delivery and $4.99 for three-hour delivery, while non-Prime customers will pay $19.99 for one-hour delivery and $14.99 for three-hour delivery.

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