One of the many reasons that Amazon is so popular is the speed with which it delivers our packages. Rarely does any Amazon shopper have to wait more than a day or two to receive whatever they ordered. Deliveries are even faster for some Prime members, as Amazon now offers free same-day delivery in select cities. On Wednesday, the list expanded, as Amazon announced that Prime members in six more US cities are now eligible for same-day delivery.
Good news, Prime members in Baltimore, Chicago, Detroit, Tampa, Charlotte, and Houston! You now qualify for Amazon’s same-day delivery. This brings the total number of same-day delivery cities to 12. The others are Philadelphia, Phoenix, Orlando, Dallas, Nashville, and Washington, D.C.
Depending on when you place your order, Amazon could deliver your package(s) within five hours. If you place a same-day delivery order between midnight and 8 AM, it should arrive by 1 PM. If you place an order between 8 AM and 1 PM, expect to get your package by 6 PM. Placing an order between 1 PM and 5PM will result in delivery by 10 PM. And if you order between 5 PM and midnight, your order will ship overnight and arrive by 8 AM. In other words, order early if you need it that day.
Of course, not every order is eligible for free same-day delivery. In order to qualify, an order has to be over $35. Amazon will still deliver an order of less than $35 on the same day, but Prime members have to pay an extra $2.99. Meanwhile, Amazon shoppers without Prime will be charged $12.99 to get their package on the same day it was ordered. You can read more about it on Amazon’s website.
How Amazon Prime same-day delivery works
Unlike rival retailers Target and Walmart, Amazon doesn’t have stores all over the country. In order to make same-day delivery possible, the company has built mini-fulfillment centers “that are optimized for faster click-to-delivery speeds.” Amazon points out that these facilities employ hundreds of part-time and full-time employees in areas where Amazon doesn’t have full-size centers.
Unsurprisingly, other retailers match Amazon with their own same-day delivery services. Two years ago, Target expanded its same-day delivery to cover most of the country. Similarly, back in 2017, Best Buy tripled the number of metro areas where same-day delivery is available. The fact of the matter is that everyone wants instant gratification after placing an order online. And the retailers are going to do whatever they can to ensure that your order arrives as quickly as possible.
