If you're an Amazon Prime member and you live anywhere on the island of Manhattan*, you've gotten an upgrade. According to reports, Amazon Prime members will no longer have to wait two days to get their orders delivered for free. Now, eligible items will be delivered to the doorsteps (or stoops) of New Yorkers within two hours at no charge.
Back in December, Amazon announced the launch of Prime Now, a mobile app and service that enabled members within the 10001 zip code to place orders for any of 25,000+ items and receive them inside of one hour. The charge was $7.99, or absolutely free if they were willing to wait two hours. Amazon's delivery hours were from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m.
In a RetailWire discussion on the initial launch of Prime Now, numerous commentators questioned whether the program made financial sense. Some called it a gimmick and questioned whether the program would survive beyond the holiday season. While no one outside of Amazon knows the numbers, the expansion of the program to all of Manhattan suggests the e-tailer is finding some value in the exercise.
While one-hour delivery is currently only available in Manhattan, Amazon is offering two-hour deliveries in some sections of Brooklyn, as well. Amazon plans to expand Prime Now to other urban markets in the near future, although it has yet to name where it will go next.
