Amazon Competes With Wal-Mart, Offering Same-Day Delivery In Canada

With the holiday shopping season around the corner, a number web-based and brick-and-mortar retailers are all in when it comes to using same-day delivery to help boost sales this year. Some of the big boys, like Google and Amazon, have both been very aggressive as the fourth quarter hits. With just making a big strategic move with it's first physical store location and a number of city expansions for same-day delivery, Amazon was thought to be done for the year. We thought wrong.

With so much focus on Amazon's same-day delivery in the US, the online giant does operate outside the country as well. The fast service has now stretched beyond US borders into Canada right before holiday shopping begins. Canada's The Globe and Mail recently reported Amazon has announced it is launching same-day shipping in Vancouver and Toronto. Amazon.ca, Amazon's Canadian branch, is spearheading the charge to make same-day delivery a well-known option there. The driver of the strategy is to compete with retail leader Wal-Mart, which offers free same-day service there.

Kaan Yigit, president of Solutions Research Group discussed the battle between Amazon and Wal-Mart in the article. He stated the new Amazon service could increase volume and order frequency, which appears to be needed to stay ahead of Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart's service is helping it "start gaining on Amazon..." added Yigit. Experts know the amount of stores Wal-Mart has, which enables it to easily reach a multitude of shoppers, therefore, higher volume and frequency can be made easier. With an option to save time and work shopping in long lines, customers may find Wal-Mart's free same-day service attractive.

Both retailers have made huge same-day delivery investments. Prior to branching the service out into Canada, Amazon added 7 more major US cities that it offers same-day delivery in, including New York City, Dallas, Indianapolis, Washington DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia, followed by the recent implementation of Atlanta. Amazon has touted about making its' own deliveries, however, they could partner with a nationwide courier like A-1 Express to get the job done, as others like Google have as well.

Wal-Mart has rolled out same-day delivery several US cities on the west and east coast. One of the optional services for faster shopping is "Wal-MarttoGo", which the retailer began testing in Denver stores. The service offers customers the ability to shop online and then come to a participating local store to pick their order up. Shoppers pull up at a curbside location, like a pharmacy pick-up, but instead pick up their online items, ready to go when they get there. Wal-Mart's retail store locations, equating to short distance driving, makes it ideal for it to partner with a same-day courier to perform same-day delivery for them.

As same-day delivery grows among retailers like Wal-Mart, Amazon, Google, Macy's, and others, it will begin to have more impact on overall shipping. More shoppers are seeking ease and convenience, resulting in more shifting business trends. A-1 Express has the logistical expertise and tools needed to help any retailer take the next step into same-day delivery. The Chicago courier can create a same-day logistics solution quickly, especially to gain an advantage in this year's holiday shopping season.

Reference: 11.5.14, The Globe And Mail, Marina Strauss, Amazon.ca raises stakes in same-day delivery service

Deliv Follows Google, Expands Into Four More Cities

As the race for same-day delivery intensifies, the retail industry is finding more and more web-based retailers in hot pursuit of the market that it dominated for decades. Now that online retail is consistently growing, brick-and-mortar stores have the likes of companies like eBay, Amazon, Google, and other to deal, especially now that shoppers find same-day delivery convenient. The only sensible move to make was to dive into offering customers their purchases the same day as well. Google and Amazon now have Deliv to compete with for retail market share.

This is how you can have a startup company like Deliv find a niche involving partnering with retail stores to deliver their store items to its' shoppers. The Wall Street Journal has reported Deliv is expanding into offering same-day delivery into 4 more metropolitan areas and 18 more shopping centers. It already provides the service from malls, even from stores like Macy's. The 4 expansion cities include Seattle, Washington D.C., Northern New Jersey, and Houston. Deliv has landed agreements to provide service out of new malls, such the the Beverly Center in Los Angeles. This expansion comes shortly after Google launches into 3 more US cities.

Deliv has been providing same-day delivery in San Jose, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago. These are some of the same major US cities that most retailers jump start same-day delivery. Now Deliv is expanding its' services into more major cities, apparently gearing up for the quickly approaching holiday season. Physical store retailers are fully aware that to compete with Amazon and Google, they will have to, at the least, offer some form of the service to keep its' customers loyal and to attract new ones. Macy's and others will surely see the benefit at year's end, as they stand toe-to-toe with web-based retailers.

In the WSJ article, Deliv CEO Daphne Carmeli touted about the advantages if its' service model versus others. “This works because we’re more like the airport shuttle with 15 people it’s delivering at once than the yellow cab service with just a single passenger. It turns out people don’t want their deliveries in one hour, they want set times typically in a few hours. That means we can combine deliveries.” The volume of drops makes the difference, which is why the demographics have to include a dense population in order for same-day delivery to be effective and profitable long-term.

Deliv is just one example of how a transportation company is the best resolve for physical retailers to becoming more versatile than ever. Its' model follows Google, as it has also partnered with several major retail store chains such as BestBuy, Wal-Green's, Toys-R-Us, Target, and more, helping retail sales increase. A same-day courier like A-1 Express is a logistical expert in last-mile deliveries and has a national footprint to implement any same-day delivery model. The Seattle courier can fulfill online orders fast, including error deliveries, online store returns, and store exchanges.

Reference: 10.27.14, The Wall Street Journal, Greg Bensinger, Startup Deliv Widens Same-Day Delivery, Following Google

Google Express Expands Same-Day Delivery Into More Cities

It has been a race to the finish line for a number of big name web-based retailers in regards to same-day delivery. In the recent two years alone, Amazon has made great strides with the service, from having strategic distribution centers to now unleashing its' plan for same-day delivery throughout the US. Although Amazon didn't let the cat out of the bag too soon, most experts knew it was coming. Amazon has been launching expansion after expansion, pursuing to gain huge segments of the retail market. However, another e-retailer stepped into the game on last year and has not looked back. Google has been aggressively expanding its' service, now called Google Express, and yet expands again to compete.

Fortune Magazine reports that Google has now expanded Google Express into Washington D.C., Boston and Chicago. These are all three major US cities that have all of the demographic factors needed for same-day delivery to thrive. Formally Google Shopping Express, the service involves a partnership with several physical store retailers, including Target, Toys-R-Us, Wal-Green's, Barnes & Nobles, BestBuy, and more. Within the new expansion cities, other merchants join the team. Boston's Stop & Shop, Giant Food in D.C., and Wrigleyville Sports in Chicago, all become the new partners of Google, delivering all types of online items to shoppers.

The items Google Express can deliver to shoppers includes everything, from electronics, flowers, books, toiletries and more. This type of service includes items which are the everyday consumables that customers need, yet may not necessarily have the time to get them within their busy day. Also, Google offers items that shoppers are much apt to use technology more with the added convenience it brings, creating the opportunity to make purchases from everywhere they are. Online retail continues to grow 16% annually, and as the holiday seasons arrives, it is no surprise that Google is establishing same-day delivery for a big return this year.

Google Express works much like Amazon with an attractive membership model base. A membership with Google currently costs only $95 a year or $10 a month. For orders over $15, members have the opportunity for free same-day or overnight delivery on eligible orders and being first in line for delivery availability options. Shoppers also can simply pay as they go for $4.99 per order. For one customer, this may not seem like a lot of revenue, however, when the economies of scale enters the picture, the volume for profit appears to work. With the new additional cities, Google expands its' reach to servicing over 7 million more people, creates the shopper volume the retailer is looking for.

Fortune also quoted Google's executive chairman Eric Schmidt from the Wall Street Journal in an article regarding who the e-retailer is really competing against. “Many people think our main competition is Bing or Yahoo, but, really, our biggest search competitor is Amazon”, stated Schmidt. Google is distancing itself from the brand of only being a search engine, useful for information only. Google Express is heavily involved in the retail industry and it appears with the big investments and innovation, will be here to stay. Amazon is indeed not only Google's competitor, but probably every retailer's opponent as well.

As the race continues, more and more physical store retailers that do business online are taking note of Google's model to increase sales. Many are partnering with a same-day courier like A-1 Express to pick up items from their stores and deliver to their customers wherever they are. The Boston courier has a national footprint that can help any web-based or brick-and-mortar seller advance within the e-commerce world.

Reference: 10.14.14, Fortune, Lauren Lorenzetti, Google Express expands its same-day delivery reach

Business Insider Talks Same-Day Delivery

No one thought that more companies would be making a legitimate push toward implementing same-day delivery, but they have. As the online retail industry grows at least 16% annually and tech gadgets rise, shoppers have access to buying all types of items, literally from the palm of their hands. So much so that web-based retailers finally see the light on how same-day delivery can offer the profit needed for sustainability Google and Amazon are at the top of the list, as e-retailers are getting a share of the market from physical store retailers. Now brick-and-mortar companies are fighting back, getting involved in same-day delivery themselves.

Business Insider (BI) recently reported on how brick-and-mortar stores have one major advantage versus e-retailers, which is their ability for customers to go into their stores and purchase their items the same day. Online retailers were at a lost until same-day delivery has now come into the picture and equalizing the playing field. BI mentioned 2% of shoppers that live in cities that offer same-day delivery have actually used it. This means roughly $100 million worth of merchandise will be delivered same-day in 2014 in 20 US cities. As the likes of Amazon and Google to continue to chip away at the distance between the customer and the item, more and more shoppers are expected to take advantage of the convenient service.

Also BI mentioned the expectations and interests of consumers when it comes to same-day delivery. Four out of 10 US shoppers stated that they would use the service if they didn't have time to make a run to the store themselves. Another stat was that 1 out of 4 customers said they would abandon their online shopping cart if same-day delivery was not a service option. Therefore, the time to receive items faster online is becoming a driving demand by the consumer, not just the e-retailer. The result could be any online retailer will have to offer the service to really compete on a high e-commerce level.

Physical stores do have the advantage of being in close proximity of shoppers, yet when they can combine this with e-commerce is when their retail business becomes most effective. Wal-Mart is an example of a large retailer that is offering same-day delivery in multiple US cities and testing online pick up from a number of local stores in Denver. It gives all of their customers the option of have it delivered to their home or ordering online, then going to pick it up. Same-day delivery is what is making online retailing so attractive, even Wal-Mart thought it best to offer it.

Large scale brick-and-mortar retailers like Wal-Mart and Macy's have made the shift into investing more into online sales, implementing same-day delivery. Wal-Mart offers it in several US cities, including "Wal-Marttogo". The program offers customers the online option of picking up their purchase from a local participating store. The retailer started testing the program in Denver this year. Macy's has taken the retail world by storm with its' aggressive move to roll-out same-day delivery in multiple large US cities at one time. The cities will include Chicago, Houston, San Jose, Los Angeles, San Francisco, D.C., Seattle, and New Jersey.

More and more brick-and-mortar retailers are joining in, especially with Google to deliver items picked up from stores like Target, Wal-Green's, BestBuy and others. Whether a company is web-based or a physical store, same-day delivery is proving to be necessary to thrive within today's technology-based market. A same-day courier like A-1 Express can partner with any company and deliver same-day any where in the US. The New Jersey courier can quickly implement a same-day logistics solution for any retailer after more market share, especially as the holiday season approaches.

Reference: 10.25.14, Business Insider, Cooper Smith, Same-Day Delivery Services Are Going After Brick-And-Mortar Retailers’ Last Big Advantage

Amazon To Open First Brick-And-Mortar Store, Will Offer Same-Day Delivery

When it comes to Amazon and the moves that it is making right now, some say it is beyond far-fetched and others are saying it is sheer determination to be the retailer that perfects same-day delivery. It has gone to great lengths to get to the plateau that the company is at now and from Amazon's recent announcement, the company is only getting better.

Amazon has announced the opening of its very first brick-and-mortar store location. The Wall Street Journal reported that the retailer will be opening a store location right in the heart of New York City. The outlet is said to be able to provide Amazon with the face-to-face experience that only traditional retailers have. This is the first step in this direction by the e-retailer in its 20-year history. A company that has been web-based for such a considerable amount of years is officially a physical store retailer as well.

Amazon’s location will be at 7 West 34th Street, which is across from the Empire State Building in Midtown. It will operate as a mini-warehouse and have limited inventory for same-day delivery within New York, exchanges, product returns, and pickups of online orders. The primary purpose for the Manhattan location is a source for customers to pick up their online orders. It will also serve as a distribution point for a same-day courier like A-1 Express to pick up and delivery items. The article stated eventually this warehouse will feature Amazon devices like Kindle e-readers, Fire smartphones and Fire TV set-top boxes.

One interesting insight on Amazon's site opening is it is right before the holiday season. Forecasting shows that this year's shopping number in the retail market will be big and Amazon is gearing up for it. The location is on the same street as Macy's New York flagship store. It is probably no coincidence, as Macy's has recently announced its' entry into the same-day delivery market by launching the service in several major US cites.

Amazon already announced a few months ago its' same-day delivery service expanstion into 6 more major US cities. The e-retailer rolled out the service in New York City, Dallas, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Washington DC and Philadelphia. Amazon was already offering same-day delivery Los Angeles, Seattle, Phoenix, and Indianapolis. Amazon then launched a wider range of same-day delivery in the New York City area. Then, last month the retail giant expanded the service into Atlanta and its' surrounding cities, such as Marietta, Kennesaw, Smyrna, and more. Amazon definitely has something far greater than experts are aware of and only time will tell.

Amazon's Vice president of Amazon Prime, Greg Greeley, stated before to Yahoo, "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. 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.” This new site is going to play a part in Amazon's goal.

The competition is going to have to go to the next level to beat Amazon at this game. Some e-retailers are opting to partner with a same-day courier like A-1 Express to implement a delivery system that fits their business model. There is no question that the New York courier has all of the components, including a nationwide footprint, to assist any web-based or physical store retailer in offering delivering their products the same day. Amazon utilizes its' own fleet, however, retailers can turn to A-1 Express in this race against Amazon.

References: 8.6.14, Yahoo Finances, Amazon Same-Day Delivery Expanding - “Get It Today” Available in Six More Cities