Amazon Says Prime Delivery Speed Reaches Record Pace

Amazon says its Prime deliveries have reached their fastest speed on record.

The eCommerce giant announced Monday (April 29) that more than 2 billion items had arrived the same day or on the next day to members worldwide during the first quarter of 2024.

“In March, nearly 60% of Prime member orders arrived the same or next day across the top 60 largest U.S. metro areas, and we delivered three out of four items the same or next day in London, Tokyo, and Toronto,” Amazon Stores CEO Doug Herrington said in a news release.

The news comes on the heels of Amazon’s first-ever Annual Big Spring Sale.

“Whereas Amazon’s Prime Days events are designed to woo Amazon subscribers into filling their shopping carts with merchandise, the Big Spring Sale was the first Amazon event to cater to non-subscribers as well,” PYMNTS wrote recently.

But as PYMNTS Intelligence learned from its Amazon’s First Annual Big Spring Sale Report — which analyzed the big event by conducting a survey of more than 7,000 shoppers — the Spring Sale fell short overall when compared to what Prime Days typically generate when it comes to participation and sales.

To begin with, consumer engagement was down. From 2021 through 2023 Prime Days sales drew in 36% to 40% of U.S. shoppers, while the Big Spring Sale attracted just 28% of consumers, meaning Spring Sale turnout was 29% less than a typical Prime Days draw.

“Equally important, shoppers who participated in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale bought, on average, six items during the sale, which is one less than what was purchased during the last Prime week sale,” PYMNTS wrote. “Not only did shoppers buy less, but they bought fewer high-end items (home appliances, electronics and furniture), choosing instead to stock up on daily-use merchandise, such as clothing, accessories and beauty and health products.”

All the same, the Spring Sale still managed to capture the attention of 28% of U.S. consumers, and — perhaps even more importantly — it also helped convince close to a quarter of non-Prime members who participated to sign up for Prime.

Amazon also recently introduced grocery delivery subscriptions for Prime members and EBT users, launching last week in more than 3,500 locations around the U.S.

As noted here, it gives Prime Members the option of unlimited grocery deliveries on orders of $35 from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market and a variety of other grocery stores and specialty retailers for $9.99 per month. The company began testing the service last year in Denver, Sacramento and Columbus, Ohio.

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