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Target's same-day delivery service will soon cover all 'major' products
Target's same-day delivery service, Shipt, is about to be much more useful if you'd prefer to shop from home. The company told TechCrunch that it's planning same-day shipping for "all major product categories" in 2019, not just certain groceries and a handful of other product categories. Shipt wouldn't say how many products would be covered or narrow down the time frame, but this suggests you could order clothes and get them in time for a night out.
Target brings same-day delivery of in-store purchases to five cities
Target announced today that it's bringing same-day delivery to five major US cities this month. Customers shopping in nearly 60 stores in Boston, Chicago, New York City, San Francisco and Washington DC will be able to have their purchases delivered to their homes within a two-hour timeframe. The service costs $7, unless large furniture is being delivered, in which case an additional $25 fee may apply.
Walmart offers same-day delivery from Sam's Club through Instacart
To combat Amazon's two-hour PrimeNow Whole Foods deliveries, Walmart is adding a similar feature for its members-only warehouse chain, Sam's Club. Through a partnership with Instacart, customers can order food and other goods from the bulk outlet and get them delivered on the same day.
Walmart bought a shipping company for same-day deliveries in NYC
Providing fast and, ideally, free delivery is a feature customers have come to expect from online retailers and it's one that Amazon does quite well. But in its ongoing battle with the retail giant, Walmart has acquired a startup that will allow it to offer same-day delivery in New York City.
Google's home delivery service now covers most of the US
Google's same-day delivery service, Express has been growing quickly (it just spread throughout New England), but it's now poised to be almost ubiquitous in the US. The internet giant has expanded its I-want-it-now shopping option to 12 more states: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and Washington. That puts Google Express within reach of 70 million more people, or about 90 percent of Americans. The whole continental US should be covered by the end of 2016, Google adds.
Amazon promises to eliminate racial gaps in delivery areas
Just two weeks after a Bloomberg report revealed glaring racial gaps in Amazon's same-day Prime delivery areas, the online retail giant has promised to eliminate those dead zones by expanding the service "to every zip code of the 27 cities where Prime Same Day delivery is currently launched," Amazon said in a statement today.
Postmates' couriers help small shops with same-day deliveries
Small businesses use Shopify's software to create custom online storefronts, and Shopify regularly adds features making it easier to juggle digital and physical sales. Now those customers can get a same-day delivery option through Postmates so long as they're within the 40 metropolitan areas it delivers in. That includes 21,000 small businesses that use Shopify.
Amazon Prime same-day delivery expands to 11 more US cities
You know what's better than free two-day shipping? Free same-day shipping, and folks in 11 more US metro areas can now take advantage of Amazon's speedy delivery times. Prime members in Charlotte, Cincinnati, Fresno, Louisville, Milwaukee, Nashville, central New Jersey, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Stockton, and Tucson are now privy to free same-day shipping on over a million items. For those keeping track at home, the latest additions bring the tally to 27 cities for the online retailer's quick delivery. There is a $35 order minimum, so you'll want to keep that in mind if you're hoping to receive something before the end of the day.
Postmates will offer one-hour deliveries in London next year
Sometimes you're in a hurry and need a delivery fast. Not just that day, but within the next couple of hours. It might be an umbrella for when you leave work, a pair of trainers for an evening game of tennis, or a quick bite while you're powering through your lunch break. Postmates has offered one-hour deliveries in the US for some time now, but soon it'll be taking on the UK too. At the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in London, Postmates CEO Bastian Lehmann said the company's speedy services will be launching in London during the second quarter of 2016.
Best Buy hopes same-day delivery will fend off Amazon
Online retailers like Amazon are putting the pressure on brick-and-mortar retail spaces by offering cheap and speedy delivery of goods, with same-day -- and in some cases one-hour -- deliveries to metro areas around the country. In a bid to keep up with the competition, Best Buy is testing a same-day delivery service with the help of delivery service Deliv. Currently being tested in San Francisco, same-day delivery will cost Best Buy customers the same amount as one-day business express shipping. The company is marketing the service to online shoppers as an alternative to its in-store pickup option. It will be interesting to see whether people in San Fransico will continue to collect their goods from a physical store when they can now opt to get it delivered to them -- probably as they stream Amazon Prime Video from the comfort of their sofa.
Target takes on Amazon with same-day grocery delivery of its own
Amazon may already offer grocery delivery, but Target is looking to take on the online retailer when it comes to same-day drop-offs. To power its grocery delivery effort, Target is teaming up with San Francisco-based startup Instacart, a company what already works with Costco, Whole Foods and others. Unlike AmazonFresh that requires a $299 annual fee, Instacart's pricing starts at $4 per order and varies depending on size. Google's food delivery service, Google Express, is also set to begin testing a grocery option in two US cities this year, so the options for shopping from the couch could continue to grow. Right now, the service will only be available in Target's home city of Minneapolis and there's no word on when, or if, it'll expand to other areas. [Image credit: Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images]
Etsy will test same-day delivery in NYC with the help of Postmates
If you're looking to get your mitts on those handmade goods purchased on Etsy the same day, you might soon be in luck. The company is teaming up with Postmates to test same-day and next-day deliveries in parts of New York City. As a refresher, the delivery company already handles packages and food orders from the likes of Apple, Starbucks, McDonald's and Chipotle. As Re/code notes, its partnerships with online shopping outfits (like Everlane) give its couriers work at times of the day when there isn't too much takeout being ordered. Etsy's service, labeled "Etsy ASAP," will be available for sellers in Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn and Queens based on Postmates coverage of the area.
Amazon's same-day delivery expands in six cities
If you're the sort who just can't wait to get household goods but cringe at having to brave the lines at the local store, today might be your lucky day. Amazon has officially expanded its same-day delivery options in six cities that include Baltimore, Dallas, Indianapolis, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC. You can now order from a catalog of a million common items (such as movies, games and supplies) and expect to get the shipment within hours. You can pull the trigger as late as 12:15PM in most places, and up to 1PM in Baltimore and Washington. Just be prepared to pay for those urgent arrivals. As before, same-day shipping costs $10 (plus 99 cents for every extra item) if you're an ordinary customer, and $6 for all items if you're a Prime subscriber.
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.
Amazon's same-day delivery service adds two cities, but loses one
Amazon's same-day delivery option has been a boon to impatient shoppers in those few areas where it's available, and it's significantly expanding its reach today -- with one notable exception. The speedy shipping is now available in Dallas and San Francisco, letting locals get some of their orders on a given day by 9PM that night. If you're not an early riser, you'll also be happy to know that cutoff times for same-day ordering are getting later. Those in Dallas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco and Seattle can purchase as late as 12:15PM and still expect a package by the evening. Indianapolis residents, meanwhile, can check out by 11:30AM instead of the previous (and not very realistic) 7AM.
eBay introduces celebrity-curated collections, expands same-day delivery
Starting today, eBay is introducing a new feature designed to streamline your shopping experience: curated collections. Basically, curators handpick products from eBay's database and arrange them into collections; as part of the initial push, the company is including a few relatively big names among its list of "expert curators" like Solange Knowles, Pharrell Williams and Kelly Oxford, with the best of the best featured on the new eBay Today page. You'll also be able to customize your profile by following your favorite collections, users and interests. Additionally, eBay announced in-store pickup for select retailers (only Toys R Us and Best Buy to start) and the expansion of its same-day delivery service, eBay Now, to 25 markets by the end of 2014, including Chicago, Dallas and London. And if you're as busy as a bee, you'll be happy to know that scheduled delivery is coming at some point in the near future. For more info, check out the press release after the break.
MyTaxi starts one-hour delivery in Germany, may reach US cities next year
Don't let the name fool you, Mytaxi wants to drop off more than just people. The app-based service that began as a German take on Uber has now started using its fleet of drivers to offer one-hour courier deliveries in its home country. The Next Web reports that, once this initial trial is over at the end of the year, the 60-minute service could be expanded to cover US cities including Washington, D.C. (where Mytaxi already operates cabs), Denver, Miami and Seattle, at prices similar to existing shipping options. There's a touch of irony in waiting around for the ambiguous domestic start date but, in the meantime, Google and eBay have you covered.
Currys and PC World now offer same-day delivery to impulsive UK tech shoppers
Brits who can't stand waiting for gadget purchases can swing by a Currys or PC World to pick them up immediately, but that also requires the hassle of visiting a big-box store. As of today, impulse buyers won't have to brave that gauntlet: both Currys and PC World are offering same-day delivery for online orders. UK residents buying small gadgets from either shop before 9:30AM can spend £15 ($23) to have the goods reach their door by 10PM that night. The stores are also offering Sunday afternoon deliveries at similar pricing, and the £5 ($8) next-day option now includes all orders made before midnight. Extra-speedy shipments are initially limited to those in greater London and a handful of other post codes, but the retailers promise wider availability in the near future.
Eat your heart out: Chinese e-commerce firm delivers packages within hours
Think same-day delivery is the bee's knees? In China, an e-commerce company called Jingdong not only delivers your package a few hours after you place your order, but also gives you power to track it in real time on a map. You can even bug the delivery crew while they're on the road, although they probably (hopefully) won't pick up the phone or text you back while driving. The company offers its services in six major Chinese cities, including notoriously populous Beijing and Shanghai. Jingdong is a young company that's yet to be profitable, but based on what it offers its customers, one can't help but feel that eBay Now, Amazon Prime, and Google Shopping Express should step their game up. [Image credit: Dwight Burdette, Wikipedia]
Google's BufferBox delivery lockers to arrive in San Francisco 'very soon'
San Francisco is getting all sorts of delivery options courtesy of its friends in Mountain View. Not only has The City by the Bay been graced by Google's same-day delivery Shopping Express pilot, but it'll soon see kiosks from BufferBox, a startup offering lockers for stowing online purchases, which the search giant acquired last year. A fresh notice on the outfit's website proclaims, "We're coming to California, specifically the San Francisco Bay Area very soon!" Page and Co. haven't said if the lockers will be integrated with Shopping Express, but we wouldn't be surprised if they gave the boxes a prominent part in the service. If you're itching to find out when the containers begin populating San Francisco, hit the source link below to sign up for an alert from BufferBox.
