eCommerce giant, Amazon has announced plans to tap thousands of U.S. small businesses—from florists to bodegas—to deliver its packages by the end of the year.
On July 3, 2023, the company will launch its recruiting program in 23 states, including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, and Washington. The program will target 20 specific metropolitan cities like Boston, New York, Los Anges, and Seattle.
Amazon is interested in working with many different kinds of businesses regardless of whether they have prior delivery experience. The Amazon Hub Delivery is the company’s latest effort to use outside labor to build its “last mile” network, or the final logistics phase before products are delivered to clients.
Participants will be responsible for delivering 30 packages, seven days a week, minus significant holidays. Meanwhile, drivers from Amazon’s Delivery Service Partner network will drop off packages to local businesses, which are then required to have a secure area for storage.
In an email conversation with Axios, Beryl Tomay, vice president of Amazon Last Mile Delivery, and Technology, claims that the new initiative will “create opportunities for delivery partners interested in growing business… and supplementing their income.”
Furthermore, due to Amazon’s convenience, many customers now order items online rather than at their local stores. Partnering with small retailers is a way to reverse the narrative, as Amazon delivery offers additional revenue.
This strategy is crucial for the company since it reduces its reliance on other delivery services. By doing so, Amazon can keep expenses under control and set itself apart from other e-commerce firms in terms of its services.