TO CLOSE

According to a new survey, online shoppers hate waiting for their packages to arrive and expect faster delivery times these days. Sean Dowling of Buzz60 has more.
Buzz60

FILE- On June 27, 2018, Parisa Sadrzadeh, Logistics Manager of Amazon.com, opens the door of an Amazon branded pickup truck at the request of a photographer in Seattle, following a media event for Amazon. Announce a new program that allows entrepreneurs across the country to launch businesses that offer Amazon packages. Amazon claims to have ordered 20,000 vans for its new delivery program. The online retailer said that "thousands of people" had applied for the program, and that its pickup order was to grow from 4,500 to 20,000. (AP Photo / Ted S. Warren, File)(Photo: Ted S. Warren, AP)

NEW YORK – Amazon has ordered 20,000 vans for its new delivery program, where entrepreneurs across the country can launch companies offering packages for the online retailer.

The company said on Wednesday that it had increased its order of 4,500 people after being surprised by the number of requests received. Pickup trucks, which carry the Amazon smile logo in blue, can be used by contractors for package delivery.

"We were stunned," said Dave Clark, vice president of global operations at Amazon. He said that tens of thousands of people had applied, but refused to give a specific figure.

The delivery program is part of Amazon's plan to better control the delivery of its packages and to rely less on other delivery services, such as UPS, FedEx and the US Postal Service. With these vans on the road, Amazon said that more buyers would be able to track their parcels on a map or see a picture of where a package had been left behind. when they were not at home.

More: Amazon's stock market value exceeds $ 1 trillion, joins Apple in trillionaire club

More: What did Nike do? Kaepernick Announces Can Earn More Gen Z than Loses

More: Audi kills its manual transmission cars: how America lost its love for the gearshift

Charlie O 'Shea, the chief retail analyst at Moody's, said the program can help Amazon extend same-day delivery and compete with retailers who have online ordering and pickup services at the store. "This is an area in which Amazon needs to improve its game," he said.

Amazon is working to strengthen its distribution network. It has a fleet of cargo planes called "Prime Air", and also pays up to $ 25 an hour to deliver packages with their car via Amazon Flex.

For its new delivery program, Amazon started taking apps in June on its website, logistics.amazon.com. Amazon stated that existing parcel delivery companies could apply, as well as those with little or no logistical experience.

Clark said the vans bearing the Amazon brand are already on the road, and he expects thousands of vans to deliver packages by the end of the year. He said the full order of 20,000 vans, which will be built at a new Mercedes-Benz plant in North Charleston, South Carolina, is expected to be in circulation next year.

Contact Joseph Pisani on Twitter.

TO CLOSE

Walmart is expanding its home delivery service to more than 100 metropolitan areas, intensifying the battle with rivals such as Amazon and Kroger.
Newslook

Read or share this story: https://usat.ly/2NO5fAI