If overnight delivery for your Amazon package wasn’t fast enough, residents in four major metro areas will soon be able to get delivery in record time.
Amazon is launching a new type of delivery called Amazon Now in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia, and Seattle, and promises to deliver some items in 30 minutes or less after the order is placed.
“Ultra-fast” delivery was tested in Philadelphia and Seattle, but expansion to two other major cities is just beginning.
Here’s what to know about Amazon Now.
Where will Amazon be available now?
Delivery of 30 minutes or less is already available in four cities, but will soon add Austin, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, Denver and Oklahoma City, the company said in a news release on May 12.
“Amazon Now is for when you want or need the convenience of having your Amazon orders delivered in 30 minutes or less,” Udit Madan, senior vice president of Amazon Worldwide Operations, said in the release. “With thousands of items available for ultra-fast delivery, you can get everything from groceries for dinner, to AirPods before the flight, to household essentials like laundry detergent or toothpaste delivered right to your door.”
Amazon Now will use a network of smaller delivery locations located around available cities that are “where customers live and work.” This means that driving distances will be shorter to ensure quick delivery times.
How can you shop from Amazon now?
If you’re in an area eligible for Amazon Now delivery, the “30-minute delivery” option will now appear in the banner of the Amazon app or homepage. Search results may also include items that can be fulfilled through Amazon Now.
You can check if you are in the official area of coverage on the Amazon Now page.
There is a $13.99 delivery fee for 30-minute delivery for non-Prime members on orders over $15, but that fee drops to $3.99 for Prime members.
30-minute delivery orders totaling less than $15 are charged an additional fee of $1.99 for Prime members or $3.99 for non-Prime members.
The faster delivery option expands on existing programs such as 1-hour and 3-hour delivery and same-day delivery networks, reducing delivery times in many parts of the country, including a significant number of small towns and rural areas.
Drone delivery is also available in some cities with shorter delivery times.
Reporting by Irene Wright, USA TODAY