Amazon Tests 30-Minute Ultrafast Delivery Service in Two Major Cities

Amazon is experimenting with a new “30-Minute Delivery” service, promising to get select items to customers’ doors in half an hour. The pilot program is currently limited to Seattle and Philadelphia, with no timeline yet for a nationwide rollout.

What You Can Order

Not every item qualifies for the rapid service, but Amazon says the option will include “thousands of everyday household essentials and grocery items.” Shoppers will be able to find the feature in the Amazon app or on the homepage under the “30-Minute Delivery” tab.

How Much It Cost

The ultrafast convenience comes with an added fee. Each 30-minute delivery starts at $13.99, while Prime members receive a discounted rate of $3.99. Orders under $15 will also include a “small basket fee” of $1.99. Amazon says the service will be available around the clock, “much like a convenience store.”

Why Amazon Is Testing It

America may love to joke about its dependence on fast shipping, but Amazon knows the demand is real. As the original report put it, “When you decide you want a pillow shaped like a baguette, you want it NOW.” The company is leaning into that instinct with delivery times that rival a pizza order. One line summed it up perfectly: “We are so impatient that we put a lasagna into the oven... then order oven mitts... and expect them to be delivered in time to take the lasagna out.”

Residents in the test cities can track orders in real time and tip their drivers as usual. For now, those outside Seattle and Philadelphia—including rural customers—shouldn’t expect the service to arrive anytime soon.

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