Amazon expands delivery options and hires more staff
Amazon is ramping up its activities in the US market, by expanding its coverage for same-day Prime deliveries and hiring more staff for its fulfilment centres. The company told Reuters today (28 May) that it will expand same-day delivery to San Diego and the Tampa Bay Area under its Prime shipping service.
The same-day delivery service for Prime orders is already available in a number of other US cities, including New York, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay area, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, and Baltimore.
Amazon has been offering same-day delivery to Prime members for $5.99 per order as standard. But now, in what could prove to be a big move, Greg Greeley, head of Prime, has reportedly told Reuters today that Amazon will allow Prime members free same-day shipping on orders over $35.
“We know same-day delivery volumes will grow dramatically now that we are making it free,” Greeley was quoted as saying.
For Amazon Prime orders below $35, two-day shipping is available for free in the US.
The annual membership for Amazon Prime in the US was raised from $79 to $99 last year.
On Tuesday (26 May), Amazon issued an official statement confirming that it is “hiring for more than 6,000 full-time jobs across its U.S. fulfilment network to meet growing customer demand. Employees will pick, pack and ship customer orders.”
Amazon has more than 50 fulfilment centres in the US.
