Amazon plans to make Prime shipping one-day by default

[Humza]

Something to look forward to: In its first quarter 2019 earnings call, Amazon chief financial officer Brian Olsavsky revealed the company's plans to offer free one-day shipping as the default for Amazon Prime customers. Starting with North America, the service is set to expand globally.

On Thursday, Amazon reported its Q1 2019 earnings with a forecasted $800 million investment during the next quarter (Q2) in making free one-day delivery shipping the default for Prime members. The transition from free two-day to free one-day shipping will "open up a lot of potential purchases and a lot of convenience," Olsavsky told investors.

A Prime member is currently required to order at least $35 worth of eligible products for free one-day shipping, an option not available for all Prime items. The new program aims to offer one-day shipping of eligible items to all Prime members by default at no additional cost.

Considering the complex shipping logistics to enable this service, Amazon will expand it gradually rather than flip a switch to make it available for everyone at once. "We're already starting down this path," hints Olsavsky of this capability. "We've expanded the number of zip codes eligible for one-day shipping."

Amazon's existing options like one-day and same-day shipping for standard Amazon orders as well as Prime Now's Free 2-Hour Delivery were made possible thanks to "20-plus years of expanding our fulfillment and logistics network," says Olsavsky.

While the company already offers free one-day shipping to many Prime members in countries in the European Union, Buzzfeed News reports that the internet retailer aims to speed up deliveries in every country it operates. For a nationwide roll out, Amazon will use the US Postal Service and other transportation partners to make free one-day shipping the standard for Prime members.

More details of this plan are likely to surface in Q2 as the company further bolsters its shipping logistics with partners.

Update: The story was updated to reflect that the $800 million investment is a forecasted spend for Q2 2019. This is a guidance specific to Q2 2019 and not a total estimated spend. It's good to be Amazon.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/79817-amazon-plans-make-prime-shipping-one-day-default.html

 

[Squid Surprise]

I resisted Amazon for years - not sure why, as I don't really have any principles...

But I hopped on the bandwagon a couple years ago and have to say that it is quite amazing to be able to order something online and have it show up the next day (or even the same day if I order early enough!).

Compare this to eBay, where the Lego Imperial Star Destroyer I bought last week won't be arriving for another 1-2 weeks... I can see why Amazon is a trillion dollar company!

 

[Dimitriid]

She looks remarkably happy for someone who can't go pee when she needs to.

 

[ckm88]

They can't even get 2 day shipping right which is why I cancelled my membership.

 

[OutlawCecil]

I'm still riding the Prime 30-day trials as-needed.... We don't order stuff often. Never paid anything.

 

[Evernessince]

I resisted Amazon for years - not sure why, as I don't really have any principles...

But I hopped on the bandwagon a couple years ago and have to say that it is quite amazing to be able to order something online and have it show up the next day (or even the same day if I order early enough!).

Compare this to eBay, where the Lego Imperial Star Destroyer I bought last week won't be arriving for another 1-2 weeks... I can see why Amazon is a trillion dollar company!

Not really worth it at this point TBH. You are paying $130 per year for shipping. They've been increasing prices across the board as well. If all you wanted is Lego sets Walmart offers 2 day shipping for free.

 

[Squid Surprise]

Not really worth it at this point TBH. You are paying $130 per year for shipping. They've been increasing prices across the board as well. If all you wanted is Lego sets Walmart offers 2 day shipping for free.

I receive a $100 gift card to Amazon every year from relatives... it goes to my membership... and I buy far more than Lego - and you can't get discontinued Lego sets at Walmart anyways

And Prime is a nice Freebie as well - even though I don't really need it...

 

[Dimitrios]

I will be dropping Amazon soon like I did with NETFLIX. Tired of them going up on price. I mostly use Amazon Prime for renting movies but with other free apps I finally have more choices. NETFLIX and AMAZON are getting very greedy lately.

Also I'm getting tired of the garbage homemade movies getting shoved down our throats. They think it can trick users into thinking they have a bigger video selection but you can't trick me.

 

[Uncle Al]

Since they have started contracting out to individuals for delivery we receive our deliveries on time, boxes are rarely damaged as was the case with several UPS shipments. Still not happy with the company since they seem to allow a lot of 2nd's to get shipped out and on at least two occasions I have received "black market" material that I had difficulty returning .... but to their credit Amazon stepped in and gave the full refund.

Like every large company, there will be problems from time to time but over all I would give Amazon a 95% score which is much better than a lot of our local retailers ..... now if I could only find a car company that did that well!!!!

 

[psycros]

Amazon hasn't been competitive on price for the better part of a year now. They don't tell you where your package is being shipped from - it could be Atlanta or Beijing, you never know. Their search is borderline non-functional. If you want to find anything you have to drill down several levels and even then you'll get lots of completely invalid results. Ebay and most independent stores are humiliating Amazon these days.

 

[Axiarus]

Amazon hasn't been competitive on price for the better part of a year now. They don't tell you where your package is being shipped from - it could be Atlanta or Beijing, you never know. Their search is borderline non-functional. If you want to find anything you have to drill down several levels and even then you'll get lots of completely invalid results. Ebay and most independent stores are humiliating Amazon these days.

What the hell are you ordering that you can't find easily on Amazon? I have never heard of this problem. Also, if you go into your current orders you can see exactly where it is being shipped from. Even if you can't you can check your tracking number and find out where it is.

 

[Axiarus]

I will be dropping Amazon soon like I did with NETFLIX. Tired of them going up on price. I mostly use Amazon Prime for renting movies but with other free apps I finally have more choices. NETFLIX and AMAZON are getting very greedy lately.

Also I'm getting tired of the garbage homemade movies getting shoved down our throats. They think it can trick users into thinking they have a bigger video selection but you can't trick me.

Sooner or later prices have to go up, simple economics. If you only use Prime for movies...then yeah, it probably isn't for you. I use Amazon enough that even with the price hike it is still worth it for me. Everyone is different.

 

[Axiarus]

They can't even get 2 day shipping right which is why I cancelled my membership.

You do know you can call up and get free stuff if they mess up your order, right? When I moved into my new apartment I started having problems with them getting things to me, three times to be exact. Called up a few times and got a complete refund plus $10 gift cards every time. They most likely put a comment on my apartment number in their system because I always get my stuff on time now.

 

[Dimitrios]

Sooner or later prices have to go up, simple economics. If you only use Prime for movies...then yeah, it probably isn't for you. I use Amazon enough that even with the price hike it is still worth it for me. Everyone is different.

I buy a few things per year but with those two companies I commented on raised their prices twice within one year. Funny how you say it's simple economics but when people want minimum wage increased which rarely happens people scream EVERYTHING but the word economics.

 

[ckm88]

You do know you can call up and get free stuff if they mess up your order, right? When I moved into my new apartment I started having problems with them getting things to me, three times to be exact. Called up a few times and got a complete refund plus $10 gift cards every time. They most likely put a comment on my apartment number in their system because I always get my stuff on time now.

Yeah I did for the measly $5-$10 vouchers and after a while, they stopped offering free Prime for me so I left them. Wastes my time and patience having to call them after every order lol. But I may start it up again and try them again.

 

[Axiarus]

Yeah I did for the measly $5-$10 vouchers and after a while, they stopped offering free Prime for me so I left them. Wastes my time and patience having to call them after every order lol. But I may start it up again and try them again.

Make sure to tell them you want a refund AND extra if it does happen.