> Shipping is the definition of a commoditized business. Unlike AWS, for example, they will not be pioneering a new business model or technology. I'm guessing

> Shipping is the definition of a commoditized business. Unlike AWS, for example, they will not be pioneering a new business model or technology. I'm guessing it's the one-hour-delivery thing - last year they started testing one hour delivery for popular products in a couple of pilot cities.[0] Presumably they can't do one hour delivery with a traditional model of centralised-warehouse -> shipping company -> shipping company's regional hub -> customer; they need an Amazon warehouse near that city, with products dispatched from there to the customer directly, or it takes too much time. Building a warehouse and dispatch operation near every major city won't be cheap. [0] http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/33332018/amazon-launches-one-hour-delivery-service-prime-now-in-parts-of-london http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/33332018/amazon-launch...