Amazon is testing a new service that would allow customers to pick up their orders from its stores within an hour. Business Insider reported on Thursday that the initiative, referred to internally as a “rush” pickup service, is still in development, citing an internal document and a source familiar with the plans.
The new service would enable customers to place a single order that combines products from both Amazon’s online platform and its physical stores, the report added.
Retailers are stepping up investments in rapid-delivery options to meet rising consumer demand for faster, on-demand shopping experiences.
Amazon aims to launch a pilot of the program in at least one major city by early 2026, although the schedule could be adjusted, according to Business Insider.
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Earlier this month, Amazon announced it was trialing “Amazon Now,” a rapid delivery service designed to bring household essentials and fresh groceries to customers in select areas of Seattle and Philadelphia.
In August, the company expanded its offerings for Prime members by introducing same-day delivery for perishable groceries. The service is currently available in more than 1,000 cities across the United States, with Amazon planning to extend coverage to 2,300 cities by the end of the year.
On the other hand, in October, Amazon revealed plans to cut approximately 14,000 jobs. Beth Galetti, the company’s senior vice president of people experience and technology, told employees that the reductions are part of broader organizational changes underway at Amazon.
Amazon’s senior vice president for emerging markets, Amit Agarwal, stated that the recent layoffs are intended to streamline the company by reducing organizational layers.
In an interview with the Economic Times, Agarwal highlighted that trimming organizational layers will allow Amazon to move with the agility of a startup in an AI-driven environment. “To operate that way, we need fewer layers. The workforce reductions are primarily about removing those layers, and we’ll continue to do that because we want to stay lean and move like a startup. At the same time, we’ll keep hiring where we need to,” he told ET.
In addition, Amazon is encouraging employees to leverage artificial intelligence to enhance productivity, highlighting the company’s focus on technology and efficiency as key components of its future strategy.
The company laid off roughly 14,000 employees in October, affecting about 10% of its white-collar workforce. In India, the cuts impacted between 800 and 1,000 roles across finance, marketing, human resources, and technology, according to the report.