Will Amazon deliver same-day results for GNC, PacSun and other retailers? – RetailWire - RetailWire

Summary

Photo: Amazon

Amazon.com Prime members in 10 cities can now buy merchandise from local retailers in their market and get their orders delivered the very same day.

Photo: Amazon

Amazon.com Prime members in 10 cities can now buy merchandise from local retailers in their market and get their orders delivered the very same day.

The retailing and technology giant said that Diesel, GNC, PacSun and SuperDry are among the retailers that have signed up for the service, which is available in select zip codes in the Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Seattle and Washington D.C. markets. Amazon said that Sur La Table and 100% Pure will join the service in the coming months.

Prime members who spend $25 or more on qualifying purchases can get their items delivered for free. Those spending less than $25 will pay a fee of $2.99. Some of the participating retailers in the program also give Prime members the option of buying online and picking up their orders in-store.

Customers can use the Amazon app or go to the online site to place same-day delivery orders, picking items from a curated selection of products available from participating retailers in their area. Amazon transmits the order to a local store where it is fulfilled from inventory at the location. An Amazon delivery partner picks up the order from the store and delivers it to the customer the same day.

“We see high potential in our expanded seller partnership with Amazon, which includes delivery directly from select PacSun retail locations,” said Mimi Ruiz, vice president of ecommerce at PacSun, in a statement. “This is one more way for us to offer our customers the styles they want and love, when they want them.”

“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,” said Sarah Mathew, director of Amazon Delivery Experience. “We are excited to see this new model come to life and look forward to adding more brands, stores and locations to the program.”

Amazon has not specified where it will roll out the service next or how rapidly it plans to scale the same-day option.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Will same-day delivery for well-known retailers entice other chains to sell on Amazon’s platform? Will this service add significantly to the perception that an Amazon Prime membership is a good deal?