Christian BryantAs Amazon looks to expand its same-day delivery service, the company's got to have a way to shuttle items from point A to point B. So it shouldn't come as a huge surprise Amazon's tapping taxi-power as one option to make those quick deliveries.
The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday the e-commerce company has already teamed up with mobile taxi-hailing app Flywheel to test delivery by cab in San Francisco and Los Angeles. (Video via TechCrunch)
The taxi thing is one of Amazon's many options for delivery — and is also considerably less cool than its proposed drone delivery system.
But Amazon's arsenal of delivery tools might serve a greater purpose. Forrester Researcher analyst Sucharita Mulpuru told The Wall Street Journal the company might be developing a "same-day delivery algorithm" — that way, Amazon can figure out which delivery method is the most efficient for the package or packages.
Of course, Amazon isn't the only company offering same-day delivery service for customers who just can't wait.
"Looking for a little more time to do all the things you love? Try Google Express."
"eBay Now is the amazing new service that brings you all the things you love in about an hour."
eBay Now and Google Express both use couriers to delivery items to customers.
While Amazon's cab delivery doesn't sound flashy, a writer at Gizmodo says, "Logistically they make sense. They're more direct than UPS or FedEx, and much cheaper than courier services."
Other information about Amazon's rounds of taxi testing — like how it's going or how soon other markets could see it — is unknown. But The Wall Street Journal quotes an unnamed source who said Amazon's taxi delivery cost $5 per package and arrived within an hour.
This video includes images from Getty Images.
