Amazon moving towards new delivery endeavor

Amazon confirmed that it intends to expand into a new delivery endeavor, but the company did not provide details on the schedule or scope.

“We’re always innovating and experimenting on behalf of customers and businesses that sell and grow on Amazon to create faster low-cost delivery choices,” spokesperson Kristen Kish told the E-Commerce Times. Amazon has relied on third-party shippers for many years, but those firms have tended to become overwhelmed and backlogged during the critical Christmas holiday delivery season.

The move marks Amazon’s latest effort to increase its control over logistics, which have been a central focus of the company as it has grown to become the most powerful e-commerce retailer in the U.S.

The company plans to launch the new service within weeks, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. It initially will pick up goods from third-party sellers that already work with Amazon and deliver them to customers. The service eventually will expand to merchants that currently do not work with Amazon. It will launch in Los Angeles and expand to other U.S. cities over time, according to the Journal.