Amazon Tests 30 Minute Deliveries

Amazon is piloting a new ultra fast delivery service that brings household essentials and fresh groceries to customers in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia in about 30 minutes or less.

‘Amazon Now’ And What It Offers

‘Amazon Now’ is a new delivery option built directly into the main Amazon app and website. Customers in eligible neighbourhoods will see a “30 Minute Delivery” tab in the navigation bar, which opens a catalogue of items available for immediate dispatch. The pilot scheme covers thousands of products that customers often need urgently, such as milk, eggs, fresh produce, toothpaste, cosmetics, pet treats, nappies, paper products, over the counter medicines, electronics and seasonal goods. Everyday snacks like crisps and dips are included too, reflecting the impulse led nature of the service.

Ultra-Fast Delivery

Amazon describes it as “an ultra fast delivery offering of the items customers want and need most urgently”, and says its aim is to get essentials to the doorstep in about 30 minutes or less. Customers can place an order, track the driver in real time and add a tip within the app, mirroring the experience already familiar from food delivery platforms.

Where The Pilot Is Running

The rollout is currently only limited to parts of Seattle, where Amazon is headquartered, and parts of Philadelphia in the US. Amazon has not confirmed how many neighbourhoods are covered or how long the test will run, and there is no stated timetable for expansion to other US cities. The company is referring to this phase as a trial, making it clear that the results will shape future decisions.

Was Even Faster in the United Arab Emirates in October

This US pilot follows an ultra fast launch in the United Arab Emirates in October, where Amazon introduced a 15 minute delivery service using micro facilities in local communities. Some customers in the UAE reportedly received their orders in as little as six minutes, showing the company’s willingness to push the limits of rapid fulfilment.

How The 30 Minute Model Works

As you may expect, it seems that hitting a 30 minute delivery window (delivering groceries as fast as a pizza) requires a tightly controlled operation. For example, Amazon says it is using “specialised smaller facilities designed for efficient order fulfilment”, located very close to where customers in both cities live and work. These sites stock a limited but high demand range of items and are built for fast picking, packing and dispatch.

Also, delivery is handled by partners and gig workers who use the Amazon Flex system. Reports from early usage suggest that drivers must leave within a few minutes of receiving an order notification to stay within the promised window. The entire model relies on short travel distances, real time routing, and a fulfilment process that is optimised for speed rather than breadth of inventory.

No Need For Additional Downloads

Since Amazon Now is part of the main shopping app, customers do not need to download anything new or switch services. For example, once they simply enter their postcode, the app confirms eligibility and displays the 30 minute catalogue. The experience is intentionally streamlined to minimise delay between ordering and dispatch.

How Much Does It Cost?

Amazon Now is not included in Prime’s standard free delivery benefits. Instead, Prime members in the pilot areas can access 30 minute delivery from $3.99 per order. Non Prime customers pay $13.99.

A small basket fee of $1.99 applies to orders under $15, which aims to discourage very low value purchases that may be expensive to deliver at ultra fast speeds. This aligns with pricing strategies already used by food and grocery delivery platforms.

It’s An Optional Premium Service

Prime members continue to receive same day, overnight and next day delivery at no additional cost once order thresholds are met, so Amazon Now is essentially positioned as an optional premium service rather than a replacement for existing benefits.

Why Is Amazon Doing This Now?

Amazon Now is designed to fit into the company’s wider logistics expansion programme. In mid 2025, Amazon announced that it planned to invest more than 4 billion US dollars to triple the scale of its delivery network by 2026. This included growing its network of same day facilities and reorganising the entire US fulfilment system around regional hubs. The changes have already reduced average delivery times and increased the proportion of orders arriving the same or next day.

Ultra fast delivery, therefore, marks the next key stage of this strategy. Amazon’s key competitors such as DoorDash, Uber Eats and Instacart already fulfil convenience and grocery orders within an hour, often by picking from local supermarkets. Amazon’s model differs because the inventory is held in its own small facilities, giving the company much tighter control over stock levels, availability and timing.

The new pilot also builds on Amazon’s earlier experiments. For example, the company launched Prime Now in 2014, offering two hour deliveries, then closed the standalone app in 2021 when it folded the service into the main shopping app. Amazon Now is, in effect, a new iteration of that idea, but designed for a world where rapid delivery is becoming mainstream.

Impact On Competitors And The Market

The initial announcement had an immediate market impact. For example, shares in Instacart fell by more than 2 per cent and DoorDash also dipped after the news broke, reflecting investor concern that Amazon may apply the same scale and pricing power to rapid grocery delivery that it previously applied to next day fulfilment. Analysts noted that Amazon’s growing interest in this category could put pressure on existing quick commerce players whose business models often rely on high fees and narrow margins.

Walmart is also part of the competitive picture. The retailer already offers rapid grocery delivery to most US households and benefits from its extensive store network. Industry studies suggest that a large proportion of customers are prepared to pay for fast grocery deliveries, highlighting the strength of demand in this category. Amazon’s pilot will therefore be watched closely by rivals in grocery, convenience and last mile logistics.

Customers And Businesses

For customers in Seattle and Philadelphia, the immediate benefit is convenience. For example, items that once required a trip to a local shop can now be delivered in half an hour, which is faster than typical takeaway delivery times in many parts of the United States. Ultra fast delivery may appeal especially to busy households, parents, pet owners and customers dealing with last minute needs such as forgotten ingredients or essentials.

For businesses, the implications extend beyond retail. FMCG manufacturers and brand owners may now see opportunities to position products within the ultra fast catalogue or to experiment with smaller pack sizes designed specifically for rapid missions. Also, marketing strategies could evolve as Amazon gains new data on urgent purchases and browsing patterns inside the 30 minute section of the app.

Local supermarkets and smaller delivery start ups may face stronger competition if Amazon expands the model. Since Amazon controls both the inventory and the logistics, it may be able to keep prices lower than rivals that rely on third party shops and couriers.

Challenges And Criticisms

It should be noted here that this ultra fast delivery is expensive to run, and analysts have warned that these models can suffer from high operating costs. For example, faster delivery windows require more staff, more micro facilities, more inventory and more vehicles on the road. This can make profitability difficult, especially when customers expect low delivery fees.

There are labour concerns too. Gig workers may face higher pressure when delivery windows are tight, and campaigners are likely to watch how Amazon balances speed with driver wellbeing and safety. Amazon emphasises that its specialised facilities improve safety for staff picking and packing orders, but questions remain around the wider impact on drivers and delivery partners.

Sustainability is another factor to consider. For example, Amazon argues that micro facilities positioned close to customers reduce the distance and emissions associated with deliveries. However, critics point out that ultra fast services may increase the total number of delivery trips and create more packaging waste, particularly for small orders.

There is also a wider cultural debate about the need for extreme immediacy in everyday shopping. Some commentators have questioned whether orders in minutes encourage unnecessary consumption or reinforce habits built around convenience over planning.

What Does This Mean For Your Business?

The Amazon Now pilot highlights how far the rapid delivery market has evolved and why Amazon is investing heavily in this area. The company is using its scale and financial superiority, which is important because it is expensive to run, to test whether ultra fast fulfilment can become a core part of mainstream retail rather than a niche convenience service. The approach brings clear advantages for customers who value immediacy and for Amazon, which gains more control over high demand categories and more insight into urgent purchase behaviour. It also places new pressure on competitors that rely on partnerships with local supermarkets rather than owning their fulfilment process from end to end.

There are still unanswered questions about sustainability, labour practices and long term profitability. Ultra fast delivery needs dense networks of sites, reliable staffing and strong demand at a price customers are willing to pay. These pressures are not limited to the United States and will be watched closely by UK retailers, logistics firms and brands that already operate in a market where fast delivery has become an expectation. UK businesses may find themselves adapting product ranges, marketing tactics or supply chain plans if similar models expand internationally, especially in urban areas where rapid fulfilment could reshape local competition and customer expectations.

The wider impact on city infrastructure, emissions and working conditions will also remain part of the discussion. Everyone from delivery partners to sustainability groups is likely to want assurances that speed does not undermine safety or environmental commitments. The success of the model, therefore, will ultimately depend on whether Amazon can balance convenience with operational, ethical and financial realities while proving that ultra fast fulfilment can scale without intensifying existing challenges.