Amazon increasingly wants to be its own deliveryman
This week’s announcement of a new $1.5 billion air cargo hub in Kentucky, about two hours from Indianapolis, is merely Amazon's latest foray into building out its own shipping and logistics unit.
This week’s announcement of a new $1.5 billion air cargo hub in Kentucky, about two hours from Indianapolis, is merely Amazon's latest foray into building out its own shipping and logistics unit.
Lawmakers are advancing a bill that would compel large, online retailers to collect and send sales taxes to the state—injecting Indiana into a national tussle over the issue.
Amazon.com Inc. has a massive network of distribution centers across the country that includes several fulfillment centers in Indiana. But even those aren’t enough to keep up with demand for fast shipping.
Amazon told IBJ it would hire thousands of seasonal workers in Indiana, including 6,000 at four facilities in the Indianapolis area.
Online shoppers want their packages—now. And Amazon is spending billions of dollars to make sure that happens by beefing up its distribution network.
The logistics and costs of same-day delivery—the fuel, labor, infrastructure and other costs—have been difficult challenges to surmount.
Some thought the discounts weren't deep enough. Others didn't like that the deals were only available for a limited time and in limited quantities. And still other Amazon customers criticized the types of products that were marked down.
The company says it will bring on 1,400 new workers at central Indiana fulfillment centers in Indianapolis, Plainfield, and Whitestown, as well as an additional 700 workers at its Jeffersonville location in southern Indiana.
E-commerce powerhouse Amazon on Thursday began offering free same-day delivery service in some cities, including Indianapolis, to its Prime loyalty club members.
Central Indiana distribution centers in Plainfield and Whitestown will be among those that will add staff, Amazon said.
Several sprawling distribution centers have been built, or are under construction, to ship directly to consumers.
Amazon is expanding its Sunday package delivery service to 15 more cities across the country, including Indianapolis, Philadelphia, New Orleans and Dallas.
Indiana was one of three states where Amazon began collecting sales taxes Wednesday on purchases made in 2014.
The move likely will prompt more states to attempt to collect taxes on Internet sales — and ignite a furious battle in Congress between Internet sellers, brick-and-mortar stores and states hungry for extra tax revenue.
The company said it will add 5,000 full-time jobs at its U.S. distribution centers, including hundreds of jobs in Indiana. An unspecified number of those jobs are set to be added in Indianapolis.
An effort to require Amazon.com and some other online-only retailers to start collecting Indiana's 7-percent sales tax this summer has fallen short in the Legislature.
Republican state senators have blocked a vote on a bill that would force Amazon.com and some other online-only retailers to start collecting Indiana's 7-percent sales tax this summer.
Amazon.com and other online-only retailers would have to start collecting Indiana's 7-percent sales tax this summer under a bill approved overwhelmingly by the Indiana House.
Health officials in central Indiana say a material resembling red crushed pepper that apparently sickened 32 workers at an Amazon distribution center in Plainfield was organic and not a threat to anyone's health.
Two lawmakers say they plan to introduce legislation in the new year that would require Amazon.com and other online-only retailers with a presence in Indiana to begin collecting sales tax on July 1, 2013, six months earlier than expected.