Amazon is reportedly testing a new approach to order fulfillment that will allow it to pick up and deliver items directly from the warehouses of third-party sellers. The project, dubbed Seller Flex, was developed in India and is now being trialed on the West Coast, with a broader U.S. rollout slated for next year. The effort is designed to save money, relieve overcrowding in Amazon’s own fulfillment centers, and expand its free two-day delivery service, while lessoning its reliance on UPS and FedEx.
“Amazon.com Inc. is experimenting with a new delivery service intended to make more products available for free two-day delivery and relieve overcrowding in its warehouses, according to two people familiar with the plan, which will push the online retailer deeper into functions handled by longtime partners United Parcel Service Inc. and FedEx Corp.”
