Amazon now offers same-day delivery that comes directly from local retail stores instead of an Amazon warehouse.
Customers can get same-day retail deliveries from stores like GNC, Pacsun, 100% Pure, and Sur la Table at participating malls.
And if you’re a Flex driver, watch out for the new Retail Delivery order type. If you schedule a retail delivery, expect to pick up packages at local malls and shopping centers.
Read on to learn how same-day retail delivery works for Flex drivers and Amazon customers!
Article contents
For Amazon Flex drivers: What is retail delivery?
With the retail delivery order type, Flex drivers pick up orders from non-Amazon retailers at local malls and shopping centers. The package pickup location is the only significant difference from other Flex order types.
The block scheduling process, block pay, and delivery procedure are all similar to other orders.
Another difference is that retail delivery routes typically only have around 2–8 drop offs, where the standard block has 20+ stops.
A new delivery option for Flex drivers
How driver pay works for retail delivery
Block rates for retail delivery are similar to other Flex blocks: Typically around $18–$25 per hour.
Like other offers on Flex, retail delivery offers show the total payout amount, the estimated duration of the delivery block, and the general region of the delivery.
There are no tips for retail delivery orders; Customers do not get the option to tip during checkout. The pay you see on the offer is what you will receive.
$25/hour for this retail delivery is in line with other Flex routes.
The delivery process for retail deliveries
You will see the retail store details and shopping center location after you schedule a retail delivery offer.
You only go to one shopping center location for each delivery block, but there may be multiple pickups within the shopping center.
Check the Flex app itinerary to see which stores you need to visit, then use a map or mall directory to find the stores.
Follow the itinerary, but expect to use the mall director or a map app
Follow signs or ask a store employee to find the pickup area at the store. Show the employee your Flex app. The employee may be direct you to a pickup rack, or they may hand you the package. Scan packages to complete the pickup.
After picking up all packages, use the Flex app to navigate to the customer delivery locations.
Are retail deliveries worth it?
Like any other offer on Flex, the quality of a retail delivery offer depends on the overall pay, total miles, and delivery complexity.
Some Flex drivers report that a 2-hour retail delivery block might only have one or two deliveries you can complete in far less time than the estimate.
But others say that routes can be long, with only 4–5 deliveries taking up to 2 hours due to delivery distance and city traffic.
In the image below, one Flex driver complained about a retail delivery that only offered $29.50 for a 42-mile route. Most drivers aim for at least $1/mile.
Too many miles for not enough pay?
Here’s another bad retail delivery offer that has 8 stops covering a massive area of Southern California for only $60.
$60 for this route is not a good offer
In the current form, retail deliveries are simple & straightforward, with only a few stops. However, one potential headache is delays at the pickup location if the retail store is disorganized or new to this delivery type.
See which shopping centers in your area offer retail delivery, and consider trying a block if those locations don’t seem too inconvenient to you.
You will have to experiment to see if the total pay and mileage are worth it. You might find that these are easy money for a quick delivery.
Flex driver reactions
“I did a 2 hour for $50 or $60 a few months ago, it was awesome. It was a Pac-Sun in the mall, and ended up being a little bag that had to be delivered 5 minutes away.”
“Retail delivery is hit or miss. It always seems to take longer than it should.”
“I have done a few in the Seattle area. [Amazon] sent me out with 4 or 5 deliveries of 60 miles, which usually took almost 2 and a half hours because of traffic.”
“Because it’s so low demand, it’s usually one pickup/delivery, so the odds of it actually taking 2 hours is really slim.”
“Gotta wonder what Amazon’s plan is with this. They are paying a lot of dough for one delivery.”
More about Amazon Flex
- Surge pay on Amazon Flex! See the highest-paying offers
- No offers on Flex? How to get more
- Get more offers with preferred scheduling
- How to drive for Amazon Flex
For Amazon customers: How to get same-day delivery from nearby stores
If you’re an Amazon customer, you can shop for products from local stores on Amazon and get same-day delivery.
Instead of coming from an Amazon Warehouse, these orders will come directly from a nearby retail store. Amazon delivery drivers pick up your order and deliver it directly to you.
Current name-brand retailers offering same-day delivery include GNC, Pacsun, Superdry, 100% Pure, and Sur la Table.
Check this page on Amazon to see participating shopping centers and retailers.
Same-day delivery is free for Prime members for orders with over $25 of qualifying items.
If your order is less than the minimum, there is a $2.99 fee.
Same-day delivery is $9.99 for non-prime members on qualifying orders.
Currently, same-day delivery is available from participating malls and shopping centers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Washington D.C., & Utah.
How to find items eligible for same-day retail store delivery
There isn’t currently a way to filter for items that are eligible for same-day retail delivery.
To find qualifying items, you have to add items to your cart and check for the same-day delivery option.
Amazon says that eligible items are typically found in categories like Electronics, Kitchen, Home, Beauty, Grocery, Health & Household,
Frequently bought items may also offer same-day delivery. Check categories like Storage & Organization, Home Improvement & Tools, Home Décor, Baby Feeding Supplies, and Office & School Supplies.
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