Amazon tells sellers to pay up to get your packages to you faster

Amazon is rolling out a new bidding system that requires third-party merchants to pay extra if they want their items included in its 'sub-Same Day' delivery tier. According to internal communications sent to Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) users, sellers can submit per-unit bids to gain placement in the ultra-fast delivery network, which delivers goods within two hours across 2,300 metropolitan regions. Amazon noted that products offered via sub-Same Day shipping experience an average 12% boost in sales volume compared to standard FBA listings. The optional bidding mechanism represents a strategic monetization effort by Amazon to capture higher service margins while leveraging third-party inventory to satisfy surging demand for ultra-rapid e-commerce fulfillment. However, merchant advisory groups note that the system increases the overall cost burden and complexity for sellers, who must disperse inventory across multiple regional warehouses and engage in strategic bidding to maintain competitive visibility in search and Alexa recommendations.