Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN  ) said that it is expanding its "Amazon Now" service, offering delivery of groceries, household essentials and other items in 30 minutes or less across dozens of U.S. cities. In a company blog post, the e-commerce retailer said Amazon Now is currently widely available in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Philadelphia and Seattle, with expansion underway in Austin, Houston, Minneapolis, Orlando, Phoenix, Denver and Oklahoma City.

Prime members pay a $3.99 delivery fee per order, while non-Prime customers pay $13.99. Orders below $15 carry additional fees.

Amazon said the service uses smaller fulfillment locations positioned closer to customers instead of relying only on larger warehouses.

"Amazon Now is for when you need or want the convenience of getting your Amazon order delivered in 30 minutes or less," said Udit Madan, senior vice president of Amazon Worldwide Operations.

The company added that customers can order groceries, electronics, personal care products and household essentials through the service, which operates 24 hours a day in most markets.

Retailers Push Faster Delivery

Amazon's latest push comes as retailers increasingly compete on delivery speed to capture more online spending.

Last month, Walmart Inc. (WMT  ) said more than one-third of its online orders were being delivered within three hours as the retailer expanded same-day fulfillment capabilities.

Walmart has also been testing new store-based fulfillment systems in Dallas aimed at shortening delivery times and expanding marketplace operations.

Target Corporation (TGT  ) has also continued expanding same-day fulfillment through its Shipt platform as retailers compete more aggressively on convenience and delivery speed.

Instant Commerce Expands

The broader retail industry is increasingly shifting toward "instant commerce," where companies aim to deliver products faster than consumers could drive to physical stores themselves.

The expansion also increases pressure on delivery-focused platforms, including DoorDash Inc. (DASH  ), Instacart parent, Maplebear Inc. (CART  ) and Uber Eats parent Uber Technologies, Inc. (UBER  ), which helped normalize near-instant delivery expectations for groceries and household items.

Still, faster delivery remains expensive for retailers and consumers. More than 95% of shoppers prefer free standard delivery over paying extra for faster shipping, according to a recent McKinsey survey of consumer delivery preferences.

Amazon said Prime members globally received more than 13 billion same-day or next-day deliveries in 2025, while U.S. customers received more than 8 billion items through the company's fast-delivery network, up more than 30% from the prior year.