Amazon Launches Free-Same Day Delivery in Toronto & Vancouver

There is not another dominate e-retailer currently than Amazon, and it is clear by the continued success of its' free Same-Day Delivery program. Now the free service to Prime members is moving beyond the US and into expansion in Canada.

Amazon Canada, also Amazon.ca, has announced that it will be offering free same-day delivery in two major cities there: Toronto and Vancouver. Out of the two cities, Toronto is the one with most of the attention, being that it is the largest city in Canada. Same-day delivery thrives off of volume, and as the services grows within Toronto, it will more than likely be a platform for other cities. The service will be available for only Prime members at no cost, which currently pay $79 annually for free delivery without a minimum order requirement. The option will be available for all orders above $25 in both cities.

Alexandre Gagnon, vice-president, Amazon Canada, discussed why now that the retailer is moving forward with same-day delivery there. He stated, “We have been working quite hard to improve the speed of delivery and we got to a point where we are now able to offer that service”. He also added, “In general, people using e-commerce tend to want to receive those goods as fast as possible. In response to demand we are launching this program.” The demand via e-commerce is what drives fast delivery to be justified to implement it for Amazon. The e-retail giant has enough shoppers ordering online and that want same-day delivery, that it only make sense to launch it.

Jim Danahy, CEO of retail advisory firm Customer Lab, also commented in the article about Amazon and the addition of same-day delivery. He stated, “With the membership, Prime is like a Costco for online, and where they really made ripples when they first did this was during the holiday season. They have clearly demonstrated that same day and next-day delivery across the United States has made a difference. I can see this making a difference for people who are pressed for time. Many people decide which retailer they choose based on those kinds of features. It’s an infinitesimally small piece of Canadian retail at this point, but it is where the industry is going.” Amazon is proving that it understands how to quickly adapt to industry changes and more retailers will have to learn how to do this as well.

From Google, Wal-Mart, BestBuy, Target, Macy's, and more, many big name retailers understand the same-day delivery is becoming more than just a trend. As online retail grows, which is forecasted to reach $500 billion by 2018, it is going to be essential to have the strong omnichannels in place to bridge online and in-store business. The retailer that can do that is going to be the retailer that acquires more shoppers and keeps them. Indeed, the industry is headed towards more speed and convenience, which is what a Same-Day Courier like A-1 Express can help any retailer quickly implement throughout the US. The Memphis Courier has the courier expertise and latest technology to create efficient same-day solutions.

Reference: 9.27.16, Financial Post, Hollie Shaw, Amazon launches same-day delivery in Toronto, Vancouver