Today Amazon announced that Prime members in certain U.S. cities and metro areas will be able to get same-day delivery from retailers PacSun, SuperDry, GNC and Diesel by ordering through the Amazon app and website. Those stores will be followed by Sur La Table and 100% Pure in the near future, though it is safe to expect that Amazon will continue to expand this concept to other retailers. This same-day delivery service will be free to Prime members spending $25 or more, but will cost $2.99 for members who do not meet that price threshold. Customers will have to place orders before noon in order to be eligible for same-day delivery, but actually placing the orders is simple: Prime members in ZIP codes associated with this new service can browse the stores’ selections and select “Same-day delivery” at checkout.
This comes after companies like Target, Walmart and Instacart have offered same-day delivery on items for some time, indicating a desire on Amazon’s part to catch up with its competition. Instacart in particular is similar to this new Amazon offering, as the service provides same-day delivery from retail stores like Bed Bath & Beyond and Sephora, so it will be interesting to see how it responds to Amazon’s plans. This news is also the latest indication that Amazon is not content staying put as an online retailer, seemingly fixated on spreading its influence into other industries, such as recent developments in healthcare and now into other retail stores.
