Amazon Prime customers in the Los Angeles and New York City areas will be the first to get access to the web giant’s latest foray into retail instant gratification—Sunday delivery.
In a press release on Amazon.com, Dave Clark, vice president of worldwide operations and customer services, says:
“If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can order a backpack for your child on Friday and be packing it for them Sunday night. We’re excited that now every day is an Amazon delivery day and we know our Prime members, who voraciously shop onAmazon, will love the additional convenience they will experience as part of this new service.”
We’re not so surprised by the move—after all, the online super-retailers has been hard at work trying to solve other logistical puzzles in order to gain an even larger advantage over its competitors. Here’s what did surprise us: Amazon is partnering with the United States Postal Service to make Sunday deliveries happen.
“As online shopping continues to increase, the Postal Service is very happy to offer shippers like Amazon the option of having packages delivered on Sunday,” said Patrick R. Donahoe, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer, in a press release. “With this new service, the Postal Service is now delivering packages seven days a week in select cities. Customers can expect the same reliable and valued service that the Postal Service currently provides.”
Not all items will be available for Sunday delivery, and customers who don’t currently subscribe to Amazon Prime can get their goods on the traditional day of rest, but will pay the standard rate for next-business-day delivery.
The service will be rolled out to other large metro areas in 2014, including Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and Phoenix. Delivery to New York City and L.A. will begin Nov. 17—just in time for the holidays.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the USPS has been hard at work over the last year building a flexible employee base that can support Sunday delivery.
The irony here is not lost on us—a federal agency that is floundering in the face of electronic communication just may be rescued by the one man who seems intent on taking over the online universe.
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also announced this summer that he was taking over The Washington Post.
We have to wonder, what’s next?
