Amazon delivery driver plays hopscotch while unloading packages at home
In Blaine, Minnesota, Amazon delivery drivers do the rounds and enjoy a bit of Hopscott as they unload the package.
Amazon has expanded its delivery network to provide same-day and next-day delivery to what is said to be tens of millions of customers in more than 4,000 small communities in the US by the end of the year.
The expansion of delivery will be especially helpful for rural customers who Amazon said it is usually far from brick and mortar stores, with fewer product and brand choices and limited delivery when shopping online.
“Our key members say one of their favorite benefits is unlimited fast shipping,” Jamil Ghani, global vice president of Amazon Prime, told USA Today in an exclusive interview. “It’s a way they access Amazon’s vast selection and we believe that we shouldn’t rely on the zip codes our members live in.”
“People who traditionally had some slower speeds now have access to our fastest speeds,” he said.
Daily items are popular
According to Gani, one of the biggest benefits of the expansion is its access to online retailers’ groceries and household items, an Amazon daily necessity.
In the first quarter of 2025, faster delivery speeds meant that sales in all other categories of the US grocery sector grew more than twice as fast as the daily essential section, except for more than $100 billion in sales, according to Amazon.
The expansion has already started in 1,000 of the 4,000 small communities. Over 90% of the top 50 same-day repurchase items in these areas are essentials on Amazon, including coffee pods, water bottles, batteries, and probiotics.
How can I get same day and next day delivery?
Free same-day delivery options are available to Prime members in most cities who spend more than $25 on orders. Even if your order does not meet the minimum, you can still opt for same-day delivery at a rate of $2.99. Prime member orders placed with Amazon Gift Cards always have free same-day shipping.
Even if you are not a Prime member, you can still opt for same-day or next-day delivery at a rate of $9.99 without a minimum purchase. Orders for non-Prime members using Amazon Gift Cards cost $3.99 for same-day delivery.
Amazon invests over $4 billion
Amazon said it has tripled its delivery network size by the end of 2026 by over $4 billion. This includes converting existing rural delivery stations into hybrid hubs. Amazon is localizing its supply chain, bringing more inventory closer to its customers, Ghani said.
Amazon uses machine learning and AI to ensure that items in high demand with customers in a particular region are in stock and ready for same-day or next-day delivery, says Ghani.
“Our AI systems help us manage our inventory and get as close as possible to our customers based on requests from those customers,” he said.
To see if there are same-day delivery in your area, visit www.amazon.com/samedaystore.
Betty Lin-Fisher is a consumer reporter for USA Today. Contact her at blinfisher @usatoday.com or follow her on X, Facebook, or Instagram @Blinfisher, @Blinfisher.bsky.social.. Sign up for our free daily money newsletter. This includes Friday’s Consumer News.
