Amazon testing Sunday deliveries in London
Amazon is to start delivering packages on a Sunday in London later this month, offering the service for free to Amazon Prime members as it gears up for the competitive festive ecommerce period.
By Sarah Vizard
The move comes as the online retailer teams up with the US Postal Service to launch a Sunday delivery service in New York and Los Angeles, with plans to roll it out across the US over the next year.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon’s vice president of worldwide operations and customer service Dave Clark said a similar service will come to London “later this month”. It will use Amazon’s own trucks to make the deliveries, rather than relying on a delivery partner such as Royal Mail or DHL.
US Amazon Prime members, who as part of their $79 annual subscription receive unlimited free two-day shipping, will now have access to Sunday deliveries at no extra cost. The service will also be available to non-Prime members, although it is unclear if customers will have to pay a premium to ensure delivery on a Sunday.
Clark says: “If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can order a backpack for your child on Friday and be packing it for them Sunday night.
“We’re excited that now every day is an Amazon delivery day and we know our Prime members, who voraciously shop on Amazon, will love the additional convenience they will experience as part of this new service.”
This is the latest attempt by Amazon to speed up fulfilment as it steps up competition with high street retailers, as well as ecommerce rivals. It has already opened a number of regional distribution depots at sites around Oxford, Milton Keynes and London aimed at speeding up deliveries.
Elsewhere, eBay has partnered with Argos to offer click-and-collect services that allow shoppers to order online and pick up from Argos stores and bought delivery firm Shutl ahead of expansion of its one hour delivery service to the UK early next year. John Lewis has recently inked a deal with Collect+ to enable its customers to pick up orders from convenience stores such as Spar, CostCutter and Martin McColl.
