Everyone Loves Same-Day Delivery, Until They Have to Pay
That's the problem merchants face as the busy holiday shopping season approaches. They want to offer customers the near-instant gratification that usually only comes with shopping in stores or via apps like Uber and Seamless (GRUB). But the logistics and costs of same-day delivery -- the fuel, labor, infrastructure and other costs -- have been difficult challenges to surmount.
This year, Amazon (AMZN) has been making an aggressive push to offer same-day delivery to people who've paid its $99 fee for Prime loyalty club membership. That service is now available in 23 metro areas. And where Amazon goes, other retailers must follow.
"Over the past 18 to 24 months Amazon has been pushing the bar" for fast and cheap delivery, said Daphne Carmeli, CEO of Deliv, a startup that works with retailers to provide same-day delivery. "If you're in retail, you have to step up to the new bar."
