Amazon has cut same-day delivery times to just five hours in four major US cities by building mini-fulfillment centres, the company revealed today.
Prime shoppers in Phoenix, Philadelphia, Dallas and Orlando can now expect deliveries to arrive at their doors within just hours of clicking ‘Buy Now’.
Members in these four cities can choose to receive their orders anytime between 4:30am and 10pm. Below are the time slots Prime users can choose between:
Image: Amazon
This is possible because Amazon is taking to storing millions of items in new, smaller facilities outside of major cities and closer to customer homes.
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Amazon claims that the new feature will help the company to lower carbon emissions in line with its Climate Pledge by cutting down on air travel and decreasing the distance drivers need to travel when delivering the packages themselves.
Amazon has marked up to three million items across dozens of categories as ‘Today by’, meaning they can be ordered and delivered on that same day. The feature – which is exclusive to Amazon Prime members – is designed to make online shopping fast and convenient for those paying a regular subscription.
Same-Day Delivery is free for Prime members in the US on orders over $35 or $2.99 for delivery on orders under $35. US shoppers can check if Same-Day Delivery is available in their area with Amazon’s zip code checker.
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Same-Day (Evening Delivery) is also available in the UK free for Prime members or £5.99 for non-subscribers. Amazon has a postcode checker you can use to see if your address is eligible for Same-Day delivery.
Right now, it’s unclear whether UK customers will receive a similarly speedy same-day treatment anytime soon.
When asked, Amazon told Trusted Reviews that it is always working to bring faster and more convenient delivery options to every country it serves but that it does not have any additional details to share at this time.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
