Now, Amazon is planning additional growth in 2026 as it finds itself on track to deliver at its fastest speeds ever for Prime members worldwide for the third consecutive year, the tech giant announced Wednesday (Dec. 10).
“Over the last few months, customers have ordered fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, seafood, baked goods, and frozen foods alongside electronics, books, pantry staples and snacks, and everyday household essentials like paper towels and toothpaste,” Amazon said in a news release.
“In fact, as more customers turn to fast delivery for everyday needs, fresh groceries now make up nine of the top ten most-ordered items. Coming in at number ten, however, is a not-so-surprising everyday household essential—a 12-pack of bathroom tissue.”
The news comes a little more than a week after Amazon said it would begin testing ultra-fast delivery of groceries and essential items — that is, within 30 minutes or less — in two U.S. cities.
“Amazon is utilizing specialized smaller facilities designed for efficient order fulfillment, strategically placed close to where Seattle- and Philadelphia-area customers live and work,” the company’s announcement said.
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“This approach prioritizes the safety of employees picking and packing orders, reduces the distance delivery partners need to travel, and enables faster delivery times.”
Last week also saw a report that Amazon was weighing the future of its relationship with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) after talks between the partners had stalled.
Amazon has told PYMNTS it is committed to working with the USPS and looks forward to hearing from the agency soon. But were a separation to come to pass, PYMNTS wrote, the consequences could be profound.
“The Postal Service relies heavily on parcel delivery revenue to offset the steep decline in traditional letter mail,” PYMNTS reported. “Without Amazon, many of the Postal Service’s existing ‘coopetition’ arrangements in which legacy carriers like UPS or FedEx hand off last-mile delivery to USPS could unravel.”
But for Amazon, the equation is more straightforward, PYMNTS added. In the last several years, the company has invested billions into bolstering its own fulfillment centers, sorting hubs, electric delivery vehicles and a gig-based driver network.
“Equipped with density, scale, and proprietary infrastructure, Amazon now believes it can deliver at a lower ‘all-in’ cost than shipping via the Postal Service,” the report said, noting that Amazon logistics handled almost as many packages as the postal service last year.
