August 31, 2015—Amazon.com, Inc. is experimenting with its Prime service by testing a Ship by Region program, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal. The program would allow third-party sellers to limit free delivery service by evaluating the distance between a customer and the item ordered.
The move is expected to attract more sellers to the platform, but at the same time, it would restrict some of the company’s free delivery service features for customers who live too far away.
Amazon currently allows a handful of third-party retailers to individually determine which area codes and locations will qualify for free shipment, and which items can be shipped free of charge to Amazon Prime customers. The program, if introduced, will mean that Amazon Prime members will no longer be guaranteed free shipment throughout the U.S., as sellers rule out certain areas for free shipment based on distance.
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