By ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
Updated 6:23 AM PDT, March 17, 2026
NEW YORK (AP) — On Tuesday, Amazon announced that it has begun providing quicker U.S. deliveries of select items for a fee, which include pantry essentials, clothing, over-the-counter meds, cleaning products, and electronics.
The retail giant mentioned that customers in over 2,000 cities, towns, and suburban areas can opt for deliveries of orders from its expedited inventory of 90,000 items within just three hours. Amazon Prime members will pay $4.99, while non-members will be charged $14.99.
One-hour delivery slots are offered in hundreds of locations, including large metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, as well as smaller cities like Des Moines, Iowa, and Boise, Idaho. For this service, Prime members will incur a fee of $9.99, while non-members will pay $19.99.
Based in Seattle, the company began piloting the express delivery service late last year and is now expanding it this month.
“We recognized a chance to leverage our operational expertise and delivery network to enhance our customers’ lives while adding value for our Prime members,” stated Udit Madan, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations.
Amazon launched its Prime service in 2005, initially offering members free two-day shipping on a selection of 1 million items, primarily DVDs, CDs, and books. Today, Prime members have access to over 300 million items across 35 categories, with tens of millions available for same-day or next-day deliveries at no cost.
The company continues to leverage robotics and AI technology to streamline order fulfillment. By regionalizing its U.S. delivery network into eight areas, Amazon has successfully reduced delivery times.
Additionally, Amazon is testing an ultra-fast delivery option that promises to deliver products in 30 minutes or less. The Amazon Now service is available in various cities across India, Mexico, and the UAE, and is being trialed in several locations within the U.S. and the U.K.
Walmart, Amazon’s rival, has also emphasized faster deliveries, boasting that it now offers same-day deliveries in under three hours to 95% of the U.S. population, up from 76% three years ago.
ANNE D’INNOCENZIO
D’Innocenzio covers retail, trends, the consumer economy, and hourly workers for The Associated Press.
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