Say it with me: Prime by bedtime. Prime by bedtime. Prime by bedtime.
Soon, very soon, Amazon Prime customers across the United States will be able to purchase an item on Amazon.com and have it delivered later that day now that the online retailer giant has added free same day delivery to the benefits of Prime membership. Currently, the premium service is only available in a select few metro areas around the country, but Amazon aims to expand that delivery area very soon.
This move gives Amazon a big advantage over some of the recent competition entering the market. Large companies like Walmart, eBay, and Google, and smaller internet start-ups like Jet.com, Uber, Instacart, and Postmates are either venturing into the online logistics jungle or have already established secure fiefdoms. Free same day delivery is definitely an attractive feature that will keep current Prime members coming back and entice new customers to sign up.
Innovation isn’t a new concept at Amazon. They have previously offered Amazon Fresh, a grocery delivery service to New York City, Philadelphia, Seattle, and parts of Los Angeles, and Prime Now, a one-hour delivery service that expanded to a number of metro areas. Amazon has also made headlines by announcing their intent to utilize drones to deliver items across the United States.
The new service area for same day delivery for Prime will encompass several areas:
The free, same-day service is available seven days a week in Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Dallas, Indianapolis, the Los Angeles metro area, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, the San Francisco Bay area, Seattle and Washington, DC, as well as San Diego and Tampa Bay, which previously didn’t have the option for same-day deliveries through Amazon.
Of course, customers will have to complete their orders before 12:00 PM to receive their items the same day. The option for same day delivery is still available to non-Prime members. They just have to pay $9.98 per order. That hasn’t changed. Prime customers can check to see if their Zip Code is serviced by same day delivery on the Same Day Website, and they can always check for the free same day delivery logo that will now accompany all eligible items.
