12-15-2016, 10:50 AM
I think FAA regulations have pretty well shut down Amazon's drone delivery idea. They're still working on it but presumably either not for America or in the hopes that they can eventually get the FAA to change the rules.
But they are starting to take over their own last-mile deliveries. I think my deliveries now are like 1/3rd USPS, 1/3rd UPS and 1/3rd "Amazon" -- usually like a white minivan with an Amazon sign stuck on the side (looks magnetic, or like a sticker). I guess as they ramp that up, they'll be freer to start setting their own delivery times.
Just the ability to deliver things after 5pm would probably help Amazon a lot. There's lots of people in lots of condos, apartments and townhomes that can't safely take a package at 1pm. They're not home, there's no stoop and the package just sits in the open until they get home. If they could set something that says "deliver from 6pm - 10pm" or "I'm home, deliver in the next hour", Amazon could unlock a lot more business.
But they are starting to take over their own last-mile deliveries. I think my deliveries now are like 1/3rd USPS, 1/3rd UPS and 1/3rd "Amazon" -- usually like a white minivan with an Amazon sign stuck on the side (looks magnetic, or like a sticker). I guess as they ramp that up, they'll be freer to start setting their own delivery times.
Just the ability to deliver things after 5pm would probably help Amazon a lot. There's lots of people in lots of condos, apartments and townhomes that can't safely take a package at 1pm. They're not home, there's no stoop and the package just sits in the open until they get home. If they could set something that says "deliver from 6pm - 10pm" or "I'm home, deliver in the next hour", Amazon could unlock a lot more business.