Amazon is partnering with select stores that we’re used to seeing in local shopping malls to offer same-day Prime deliveries. For now, this only applies to orders from PacSun, GNC, Superdry, and Diesel, but Amazon says it’s working on offering same-day deliveries from Sur La Table and 100% Pure in “the coming months.”
The service is also limited to certain cities, which include in and around Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Seattle, and Washington, DC. If you’re located near any of these areas, Amazon says you can now browse through and order a curated selection of goods from local mall stores on Amazon’s site.
Right now, Amazon’s selection of stores seems a bit slim. But if you need some vitamins or a pair of jeans in a pinch — and you haven’t hung out at the mall in years — it could come in handy. While it may seem counterintuitive for Amazon to deliver products for other stores, it’s likely the e-commerce giant’s attempt to build upon its growing fulfillment business. Online stores can already give customers the option to buy a product with Prime’s perks, and now Amazon’s letting physical shops attract more buyers by piggybacking off of its services.
This also isn’t the first time Amazon has delivered from local stores. Before Amazon acquired Whole Foods, it began offering one-hour deliveries from local markets in select cities in 2015. Now, its one-hour grocery delivery service lists Whole Foods and Amazon Fresh in most areas, with more limited availability for deliveries from local stores.
In addition to same-day deliveries, Amazon is also offering Prime members free, same-day pickup from certain stores. Non-members can benefit from free local pickups, too, but you’ll have to spend at least $25 — the same threshold you have to meet to get free shipping.
Amazon’s announcement tracks with previous reports about the company’s plans to pick up and deliver goods from malls. At the time, reports indicated Amazon would be using its contracted Flex drivers to deliver packages from the mall. According to the press release, you can count on an “Amazon delivery partner” to pick up and deliver orders.
“The expansion of Amazon’s Same-Day Delivery to include beloved brands delivered directly from nearby retail locations is just another way we are offering customers even greater selection, at faster speeds,” Sarah Mathew, Amazon’s director of delivery experience, said in a statement.
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