Remember when two-day delivery was cutting edge? Then came overnight, followed by same-day. Now those services are so last year as the nation’s giant retailers roll-out ever-faster deliveries. You can bet as has happened in the past, these services will find their way into more and more retailers going forward.
Amazon seems to be taking the lead in super-fast deliveries as it is testing 30-minute service in Seattle and Philadelphia. Right now the services use existing repurposed Amazon facilities and Amazon Flex drivers according to published reports. Initially deliveries are only for groceries and household essentials but could potentially be expanded to consumer products down the road one could speculate.
According to an Amazon blog post customers in eligible neighborhoods can choose a “30-Minute Delivery” option in the navigation bar to place their orders. Cost for Prime members start at $3.99 per order, while non-members pay $13.99 with a $1.99 “small basket” fee on orders under $15.
For Walmart, the solution to faster deliveries are drones. Times are still yet to be announced but the giant retailer announced earlier this month that is extending its use of “ultra-fast” drones for deliveries to additional cities this year, including Los Angeles, St. Louis, Cincinnati and Miami, with others to be announced later. It had previously announced new service in Houston, Orlando, Tampa and Charlotte. It has been currently using drones in the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex and Atlanta.
According to published reports the drones hover roughly 150 yards above ground, lowering packages on a tether. They can carry up to two- and one-half pounds and fly within a six-mile radius of a Walmart store while avoiding traffic. The Walmart drones come from a Google sister company, Wing.
As has been seen in recent retail history, wherever Amazon and Walmart go, others follow.