Having used “influencers” to build some hype (ugh, how disappointing), e-commerce giant Amazon officially launched its Prime Now service on Wednesday night. Try it out on your smartphones — the Amazon Prime Now app should be available for download on iTunes and Google Play.
With the launch — the first in Southeast Asia — Amazon’s taking on direct competition with the already entrenched likes of Lazada and RedMart in Singapore. It offers same-day and next-day delivery, and customers can order a range of products including books, electronics, groceries and clothing.
The way it works here is the more you cash out, the faster you’ll receive your order. Orders above $40 are delivered within a two-hour window for free, while those who want their orders to arrive in an hour will have to add an extra $9.99 and be in select postal codes. You’ll also have to pay a $5.99 delivery fee for orders below $40.
The Prime Now delivery service operates from 10am to 10am daily, even in Sentosa. No luck for those staying in outlying islands though.
For now, customers won’t need Amazon Prime memberships to try out the Prime Now service, but there’s no end date given for the limited-time offer.
Amazon’s progressive entry into the local market began with the availability of its Prime Video streaming service last year, and it’s expected to launch other anticipated services such as Amazon Prime and regular e-commerce services in the coming months.
