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Tag: same-day delivery

  • eBay Now Same-Day Delivery Apps Are No More

    It’s been looking like eBay Now’s days were numbered for quite a while now. Now, the mobile apps for the e-commerce company’s same-day delivery service have gone M.I.A.

    VentureBeat reported all the way back in June that eBay Now could be on its way out. Last month, eBay held its Q3 earnings call, when eBay CEO John Donahoe made a comment indicating that the service wasn’t “essential” to is target customer base.

    Re/code then conducted an interview with him, proclaiming eBay Now to be “essentially dead’. Jason Del Rey shared some comments Donahoe made:

    “There’s no active plan to close it down,” he began. “But,” he added, “I think what you’re seeing is the shoppers that want same-day delivery tend to want it for consumables … groceries. That’s not really the sweet spot for eBay. Buy online and pick up in store — those are the kinds of things relevant to the eBay shopper.”

    At another point in the call, Donahoe referred to the service in the past tense as an “experiment” and pointed out that the company hasn’t expanded from four to 25 markets as it originally said it would by year’s end. He also noted that eBay customers seem to care more about being able to pick up an order for free than pay to have it delivered super quickly. Donahoe said the company’s partnership with United Kingdom retail chain Argos, which lets eBay shoppers order stuff online and pick it up at an Argos near them, will serve as a model for how eBay continues to try to help its shoppers get their orders quickly at no extra cost.

    Last week, Reuters reported that the company planned to “dismantle its standalone mobile app for its $5 same-day delivery service ‘eBay Now’ as soon as this week”.

    On Monday, TechCrunch pointed out that the app has gone missing from Apple’s App Store. It’s also gone from Google Play.

    It would appear that the service isn’t completely dead, however. According to TechCrunch, which spoke with an eBay spokesperson, it will be folded into eBay’s main apps and website.

    Even still, eBay Now as supposed to expand to 25 new markets, and from the sound of it, that’s no longer happening.

    The service appears to still be operational from the desktop.

    eBay Now was initially launched in beta in August, 2012.

    Image via eBay

  • Amazon Tries Taxis For Same-Day Deliveries

    Amazon Tries Taxis For Same-Day Deliveries

    Amazon has been doing a lot of experimenting with different ways of getting products delivered to customers, while expanding its actual services that do just that. Now, the company is even trying out delivery by taxi.

    According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, Amazon has been testing this in San Francisco and Los Angeles this fall, using Flywheel, a taxi-hailing mobile application, which gets the vehicles to show up at its distribution centers, and takes packages to consumers for same-day delivery. It says:

    For its recent test, the people familiar with the matter said, Amazon joined with Flywheel Software Inc., whose cab-hailing mobile app competes with Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. Amazon summoned cabs through the Flywheel app to mini-distribution centers before loading them with as many as 10 packages bound for a single ZIP Code, paying about $5 a package for delivery within one hour, according to the people…

    The Flywheel deliveries were typically done in the early morning when the cabs had fewer fares and were less likely to be noticed by customers and competitors, said the people familiar with the matter.

    Amazon, as far as we know, hasn’t actually announced or confirmed the service.

    The report makes a point to bring up shipping delays experienced last holiday season from UPS, FedEx, and the USPS. It’s not entirely clear if this taxi thing is just something for the holidays, or if Amazon is thinking about making it a permanent offering.

    Amazon has other initiatives that are only specific to the holiday season. For example, it recently announced that it’s adding 80,000 seasonal jobs, though some of those will be converted into permanent positions. It also has temporary brick-and-mortar stores for the holidays.

    As far as Amazon deliveries go, Amazon is expanding in a variety of ways. Of course there’s the whole Amazon Prime Air drone plan, but that’s not likely to materialize for quite some time if it ever does. In more immediate terms, the company announced this week that it’s expanding same-day delivery into two new cities (Toronto and Vancouver), debuting the offering in Canada. A few weeks ago, it expanded AmazonFresh, its grocery delivery service, to New York City.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Amazon Expands Same-Day Delivery Into More Cities

    Amazon Expands Same-Day Delivery Into More Cities

    Amazon announced the expansion of its same-day delivery offering into two more cities: Toronto and Vancouver. Customers shopping on Amazon.ca in those places will be able to receive the service on eligible items.

    Amazon’s same-day delivery option allows users to place orders as late as noon to receive packages ahead of 9:00 p.m.

    “We’re constantly working to speed up delivery times and introduce new services that make our customers’ lives easier,” said Alexandre Gagnon, country manager for Amazon.ca. “With Same-Day Delivery, customers in Toronto and Vancouver can conveniently take care of errands or complete holiday shopping in a day with just a few clicks, receive orders seven days a week and have what they need delivered to their home in a matter of hours.”

    Amazon Prime members will be able to get same-day delivery for a flat fee of $6.99 per order. Non-Prime members have to pay $11.99 per shipment in addition to $1.99.

    The better same-day delivery price is one of the many perks of using Amazon Prime – something Amazon seems to be adding by the week. This week, the company announced unlimited photo storage for members. News also came out that the company is working with other retailers to give Prime members free next-day shipping on items purchased on other sites.

    In August, Amazon expanded same-day delivery to six new cities in the U.S. including: Baltimore, Dallas, Indianapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C.

    There are over a million items available in Toronto, which are eligible for same-day delivery. There are hundreds of thousands in Vancouver.

    Image via Amazon

  • Newegg Gives Same-Day Delivery A Try

    Newegg Gives Same-Day Delivery A Try

    Electronics e-tailer Newegg announced that it is testing a same-day delivery service starting in Los Angeles. With rival Amazon increasing its own same-day delivery coverage, it’s as good a time as any for Newegg to get the ball rolling.

    “Testing same-day delivery for our LA-based customers is something we’ve been excited about for many months,” said Soren Mills, Chief Marketing Officer of Newegg North America. “If all goes as planned, we will expand into new delivery areas.”

    Customers completing orders by 11:00 AM can select a “Local Express” delivery option for eligible products. They will then get their products before 6:00 PM.

    The company has a new fleet of delivery vehicles branded with “Newegg Express” to carry out the service.

    “For many customers, the ability to have a product delivered the day it’s ordered is important and, in some cases, it’s a determining factor when deciding where to buy,” Newegg said. “For this reason, same-day delivery is quickly becoming the gold standard of online retail. Newegg is piloting same-day delivery in the Los Angeles area to meet this evolving customer need.”

    Earlier this year, Newegg debuted an Amazon Prime-style “Peremier” club – a subscription service offfering expedited shipping, exclusive deals, etc. That costs customers $49.99 a year.

    In June, the company announced the launch of a new B2B marketplace called NeweggBusiness, serving as a third-party channel to connect B2B buyers and sellers, and focusing on product selection and competitive pricing.

    Earlier this month, Amazon announced the expansion of its own same-day deliver services into six more cities.

    Image via Newegg

  • Amazon Same-Day Delivery Hits Six More Cities

    Amazon Same-Day Delivery Hits Six More Cities

    Amazon just announced that it’s expanding same-day delivery into six more cities: Baltimore, Dallas, Indianapolis, New York City, Philadelphia,and Washington D.C. These cities have been on Amazon’s list here for months, but are just officially getting the offering apparently.

    The “Get it Today” capability is available for over a million different items.

    The feature enables customers to order something as late as noon, any day of the week, and get things delivered that very day. Prime members can get this for $5.99 for all eligible items. Non-prime members can take advantage for $9.98 for the first item and $0.99 for each additional item.

    Conveniently, there’s a “Get it Today” search filter, so you can search specifically for things that you can actually get that day. It can be found under the Amazon Prime filter.

    Eligible items include those in the following categories: household needs, health and beauty, baby items, toys, movies and games (including new releases), electronics, office supplies, sporting goods, apparel, and home accessories.

    “Imagine how much time you will save now that you can get sunscreen, memory cards, toothpaste, hit movies, text books and HDMI cables all delivered to your home in hours, seven days a week, in one order from Amazon,” said Greg Greeley, Vice President of Amazon Prime. “New convenient pricing also allows Prime members to fill up their same-day shopping cart with everything they may need for one low price. With more than a million eligible items, we aim to offer the largest same-day selection at the lowest price.”

    Same-day delivery is already available in Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Seattle. Amazon’s list (linked above) also includes Boston and Chicago.

    Image via Stephen Woods, Flickr Creative Commons

  • Google Shopping Express Expands To Two More Areas

    Google Shopping Express Expands To Two More Areas

    Google announced on Monday that it is expanding Google Shopping Express, its same-day product delivery service, to Manhattan and West Los Angeles. So far, it has only been available in the Bay Area and the Peninsula & San Jose area.

    “Suddenly realize that you’re designated snack mom tomorrow and don’t have time to run to the store?” writes Jenna Owens, General Manager of Operations of Google Shopping Express. “Or need to bring a new board game to this week’s game night but would rather avoid traffic altogether? Whether you’re in need of some pretzels or a game of Monopoly, Google Shopping Express offers convenient same-day delivery from some of your favorite local stores, delivered to your door in a matter of hours.”

    “With Google Shopping Express, there are no surcharges or mark-ups, products cost exactly what they would in-store,” she writes. “You can also take advantage of in-store discounts and accrue loyalty points by providing your store rewards card information.”

    Consumers in Culver City, Inglewood, Marina Del Rey, Santa Monica, Venice, West Los Angeles, and Westwood can use Google Shopping Express with stores like Costco, Guitar Center, L’Occitane, Smart & Final, Staples, Target, Toys“R”Us/Babies“R”Us, and Walgreens. Manhattan users can shop with Babies“R”Us, Costco, Fairway Market, L’Occitane, Staples, Target, and Walgreens.

    Google says it will be adding other parts of LA (Bel-Air, Beverly Hills, Pacific Palisades, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista and West Hollywood) as well as Queens and Brooklyn in the coming months. The company is also looking to add more national and local merchants.

    Google is giving users six months of free, unlimited deliveries for a limited time. The offer expires at the end of June.

    Last week, Google put out an infographic showing what San Francisco area shoppers have been using the service for the most.

    Amazon is also expanding its same-day delivery service. More on that here.

    Images via Google

  • Sriracha One Of The Most Popular Same-Day Orders On Google Shopping Express [Infographic]

    Sriracha One Of The Most Popular Same-Day Orders On Google Shopping Express [Infographic]

    As Amazon has expanded its same-day delivery service to additional cities, Google is showing what people buy the most with theirs.

    The company has put out a new infographic looking at what San Francisco Bay Area shoppers are buying using Google Shopping Express. These range from soup to soil.

    “in a single day, people around the Bay Area buy enough cat food through Google Shopping Express to feed about 1,500 cats!” says Jenna Owens, General Manager of Operations on Google Shopping Express. “While a lot of people are buying everyday essentials, they’re also using the service to buy some rather unexpected items like Sriracha hot sauce and tennis balls, which are among some of the most popular products ordered.”

    “But not all neighborhoods around the Bay Area are filling their carts with the same items,” says Owens. “For instance, in San Francisco, people in Potrero Hill buy more cereal than any other neighborhood, while shoppers in Bernal Heights buy the most sunscreen. People in The Marina love getting protein powder delivered on the double, while Mountain View shoppers buy the most rock climbing gear. And when it comes to same-day spreads, people in San Jose buy more mayonnaise than any other city, while Palo Alto tops the list of Nutella purchases.”

    No word on when Google Shopping Express might expand into more cities. Perhaps Amazon’s expansion will help kick it into gear. Right now it’s only available in the Bay Area and the Peninsula & San Jose area.

    Image via Google

  • Amazon Expands Same-Day Delivery–More Cities, Bigger Window

    Amazon has expanded their same-day delivery to some additional cities, as well as broadened the window some customers have to order items to qualify for the service.

    San Francisco and Dallas are among the new cities added to the list, which now totals 12. Amazon offers same-day delivery on over one million products in Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC.

    Here’s the way Amazon’s same-day delivery service works: When you order before certain cut-off times, your items will qualify for Same Day Local Express Delivery. If the order is placed after the deadline, your order will be delivered the next business day.

    So, expanding the time you have to order something to still qualify is a big deal. In places like Dallas, L.A., Phoenix, and Seattle, customers can place orders as late as 12:15 pm and still receive their packages on that same day.

    Still, this expansion leaves the majority of the country in two-day shipping land. Amazon unveiled their same-day service over four years ago, and today it only exists in a dozen metropolitan areas.

    The Wall Street Journal also reports that Amazon is also making it easier to locate all the items eligible for their same-day delivery service with new search filters and dedicated Local delivery page.

    Speaking of Amazon and delivery, it was recently reported that the company is currently building the infrastructure for its own delivery service that would tackle the “last mile” of delivery, or the final leg. Apparently, Amazon is tired of being so dependent on UPS and FedEx.

    Image via Stephen Woods, Flickr Creative Commons

  • Google Shopping Express Launches with Small Test in San Francisco

    After rumors that Google was planning on launching an Amazon Prime competitor that would offer same-day delivery on a wide range of products, Google has done just that – in a small pilot test.

    Google Shopping Express, as it’s called, is a local delivery service that Google says they hope will help people get items that they order online on the same day, at a low cost.

    Google has just opened up a testing phase for a small number of people in the San Francisco Bay area. If you want to look into being a tester and you live in that area, you can sign up here. Tester will receive a free 6-month membership in the service which will allow them to have unlimited same-day delivery.

    Google is launching the test with only a handful of retail partners, including big names like Target, Walgreens, American Eagle, Staples, Toys R Us, and Office Depot. They’ve also partnered with a couple local institutions like Blue Bottle Coffee and the Palto Alto Toy & Sport shop.

    Google Shopping Express offers a single site complete with all of the products offered by the service. It’s all the local stores online in one place. Then, all you have to do is buy, select a particular delivery window, and wait.

    As far as the eventual price and future of the service:

    “We’re still working out our long-term pricing plan but early testers will get six months of free, unlimited same-day delivery. The pilot will expand as we work out the kinks, so please stay tuned,” says Tom Fallows, Google Shopping Express product director.

  • Is Google Launching An Amazon Prime Competitor?

    Full disclosure: I love Amazon Prime, and I’ve been a faithful subscriber for the past three years. That being said, there’s definitely some room for competition. eBay already provides some in the form of eBay Now, but Google may be throwing its hat into the ring soon.

    TechCrunch reports that Google may be launching a new service called “Google Shopping Express” in the near future. The service would help Google capitalize on its Google Shopping service to provide fast shipping to customers shopping through said service.

    It’s noted that Google’s recent acquisitions of BufferBox and Channel Intelligence point to the company starting up something like the rumored Shopping Express service. The former would be useful for its delivery locker service, and the latter said that it’s “focused on making it easy for consumers to find and buy products online.”

    Google could pose a major threat to other online shopping services if it’s able to get the rumored service off the ground. It could expand BufferBox to more cities to make instant delivery more accessible, and cheaper, to more consumers than the competition. It could also rope in a bunch of retail partners so that it has the same wide selection consumers can find on Amazon or eBay.

    A major obstacle, however, will be the price. Same-day delivery isn’t exactly cheap so Google needs to have a good pricing scheme in place to convince shoppers to go with them instead. TechCrunch’s sources say that the service would only cost $64 to $69 a year. If it could pull off same-day delivery all year at those prices, Amazon Prime may not look so hot in comparison anymore.