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eBay's same-day delivery service stalls out
When we checked in on eBay Now last fall, its leaders were brimming with optimism, announcing plans to bring the same-day delivery option to 25 more cities by the end of 2014. Skip forward to today, however, and it's apparently a different story. VentureBeat sources claim that the service is in serious trouble; in addition to losing executives and getting rid of first-party drivers, eBay Now is reportedly "blowing a ton of resources" and may be near shutting down. While the speedy courier option has done well during busy holiday shopping seasons, it reportedly doesn't have enough day-to-day business to stay afloat.
eBay debuts desktop version of eBay Now, service coming to more cities this summer
eBay's same-day delivery service has been highly focused on mobile since its very early days, but now the internet giant is looking to change that. Starting today, eBay Now will be available on the desktop, giving shoppers an alternative to using the site on their iOS or Android device. Naturally, this means users can still make the same purchases and have them delivered in a speedy fashion, only they'll be able to do so on a larger canvas that's optimized to display things like big imagery, reviews and which stores are most popular. In addition, the company's VP of Mobile and Local, Dan Glasgow, told us the service is, as of now, expanding its NYC coverage to Brooklyn and Queens, as well as some more places around the Bay Area. eBay also let us know Now's getting ready to launch in Chicago and Dallas "later this summer," adding that new features are set to debut at around the same time, including one which allows for scheduled deliveries. Still hoping it comes to your city? It may very well happen soon -- eBay says it's excited to keep growing and continue expanding the service.%Gallery-194299%
NYT: Google actively trialing same-day delivery from retail for the chronically impatient
Rumors have floated for the better part of a year that Google has been prepping a same-day delivery service that would pressure eBay and make even Amazon Prime seem pokey. If we're to believe a pair of New York Times contacts, it's much closer to reality. Google staffers and their close connections are supposedly in the midst of testing the extra-fast shipping option in San Francisco with at "at least one" major clothing chain participating alongside local shops. Most details are still missing, including the price premium for waiting mere hours as well as the implied mobile option; Google certainly isn't talking on the record. We're almost hoping that the story is bogus, as the last thing we need is one less reason to step outside.
eBay Now to offer same-day shipping from local stores, launching iOS beta in San Francisco
Need something today, but can't bother yourself with a trip to the store? Apparently, there's going to be an app for that -- at least in San Francisco. Local eBay users have started receiving beta invites for eBay Now, an iOS app that will allow shoppers to pick up items from local stores without leaving the house. eBay is offering beta users $15 off of their first order and free same-day delivery for their first three. Orders will come with a $5 delivery charge once the freebies are used up, forcing users to weigh the value of their time against the frustrations of local parking. The service is only available in San Francisco at the moment, but feel free to hit up the source link below to toss your name in the Beta raffle bucket anyway.
