Amazon Ramps Up Express Delivery, Plans Pilot for 'One-Hour In-Store Pickup' Service Next Year

Ebrun Exclusive, December 14: According to a recent report by Business Insider, Amazon is preparing to launch a new "rush" in-store pickup service, aiming for consumers to collect their orders within one hour after purchase. This move is seen as another significant step by Amazon in the fast fulfillment space, intended to further strengthen its competitiveness in instant retail and efficient delivery.

Based on an internal document and a source familiar with the matter, Amazon is developing this "rush pickup" service, allowing consumers to pick up purchased items at Amazon-owned stores within an hour of ordering. The service will leverage Amazon's own offline retail network, including Whole Foods, Amazon Fresh supermarkets, and Amazon Go convenience stores, to enhance the overall utilization efficiency of store assets and logistics systems.

In the click-and-collect sector, Amazon faces fierce competition from traditional retail giants like Walmart and Target. By offering shorter pickup times, Amazon hopes to attract more consumers seeking immediacy, with this new "rush pickup" model viewed internally as a key step toward achieving that goal.

The internal document indicates that the service will support "unified orders," enabling consumers to purchase items from Amazon's online marketplace and nearby self-operated store inventories in a single transaction. Currently, Amazon operates various physical retail formats in the U.S., providing the foundation for this online-offline integration model.

The document also notes that Amazon plans to pilot the project as early as the first quarter of 2026 in at least one major U.S. metropolitan area, with continuous tracking and advancement by Amazon's senior vice president-level executive team. However, the source mentioned that the timeline's validity remains uncertain as external disclosure authorization has not yet been granted. Amazon declined to comment.

Strategically, "rush pickup" will be a key component of Amazon's push for "sub-one-hour" rapid fulfillment. Just last week, Amazon launched a 30-minute express delivery service called "Amazon Now" in parts of Seattle and Philadelphia. Previously, the company had tested similar ultra-fast delivery solutions in markets like the U.K., India, and Mexico.

Currently, for consumers who prefer in-store pickup, Amazon already offers "next-day pickup" for some items in the U.S., while grocery subscription users can pick up orders in as little as 30 minutes under specific conditions. In contrast, the "one-hour rush pickup" service aims to strike a new balance between coverage and speed.

According to industry data, click-and-collect is becoming a major growth driver in e-commerce. eMarketer estimates that U.S. click-and-collect sales will reach $112.96 billion in 2024, a 17% year-over-year increase, and are projected to grow to $129.33 billion by 2027. The firm also expects approximately 152.9 million U.S. consumers to use click-and-collect services by 2025, accounting for 68% of digital shoppers.

Although Amazon leads in overall e-commerce sales, Walmart holds an advantage in delivery speed and offline coverage. With over 4,600 stores across the U.S., Walmart can reach about 95% of American households within three hours. eMarketer predicts Walmart will continue to dominate the U.S. click-and-collect market this year with $38.5 billion in sales.

Amazon stated in its internal document that the "rush pickup" service will meet consumers' core demand for "faster and more convenient access to a full range of products" while improving the utilization efficiency of its physical store network and logistics infrastructure. The document added that by piloting this capability, Amazon will validate consumer demand for rapid pickup and explore feasible paths for further integrating online and offline operations.

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