Amazon starts testing ‘ultra-fast' 30-minute deliveries

Core Insights - Amazon is launching a new "ultra-fast" delivery service that promises deliveries in 30 minutes or less in Seattle and Philadelphia to enhance its competitive edge against services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart [1] Group 1: Service Details - Customers can order a variety of items including groceries, personal care products, and electronics, with Prime members paying a fee of $3.99 per order and non-Prime members paying $13.99 [2] - Orders under $15 will incur an additional small basket fee of $1.99 [2] - The service is accessible through the Amazon app and homepage, where customers can track their deliveries and tip drivers [3] Group 2: Operational Strategy - Amazon is utilizing smaller, strategically located facilities for efficient order fulfillment, which enhances employee safety and reduces delivery distances [4] - This new service follows Amazon's previous launch of a 15-minute delivery service in the UAE, where some customers received orders in as little as six minutes [4] Group 3: Market Positioning - The launch of this service is part of Amazon's broader strategy to expand its delivery options, following the discontinuation of its "Prime Now" one-hour delivery service in 2021 [7] - The company plans to invest over $4 billion to triple the size of its delivery network by 2026 [7]