It looks like the day when Amazon cannot claim anymore that they are the online retail store of choice is not too far away, with their competitors trying to hit them where it hurts the most: the promise of same day delivery. But of course we know they won’t take it lying down, and their recent announcement may just be the first salvo to improve their delivery service. They are now making same day delivery free for Amazon Prime subscribers.
But the offer it isn’t as all-encompassing as it sounds. First of all, you need to be an Amazon Prime subscriber, which means you pay them $99 for one year. Included in that subscription is free two-day delivery, access to Prime Instant Video and being able to “rent” ebooks in the Kindle Owner’s Learning Library. The free same-day delivery will only apply to orders over $35 and placed before noon on the day you want your order to arrive. The Amazon guarantee is that it will reach intended recipients by 9PM that day.
It also only covers 14 cities in the US for now, namely New York, Baltimore, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, Dallas, Tampa Bay, Washington D.C., Indianapolis, Philadelphia, and Boston. No word yet if they will be adding more cities to this list, but these are the ones closest to Amazon’s warehouse and delivery hubs, otherwise known as fulfillment centers.
Previously, same-day delivery would cost Prime members an additional $5.99 fee. But with online retail rivals Walmart and eBay offering customers more perks like unlimited free shipping and more prominent listings, then Amazon has to step up their game to re-establish their dominance.
VIA: SlashGear
