This may strike some as bizarre, but Google wants to become Amazon. Or, so it seems. Google has just launched a same-day delivery service for San Francisco Bay area residents. Delivery of what? Oh, you know, stuff that you can buy at places like Target. Wait, Google is delivering everyday goods to consumers? Why?
To compete with Amazon, of course. But, the whole thing seems kind of strange. Regardless, Google's "Shopping Express" is up and running, and you can become a tester if you live in the San Francisco Bay area. Here are the odd details.
Same-Day Delivery Service
Google has partnered up with Toys R Us, Walgreens, Staples, American Eagle, Target, and whole bunch of San Fran cafes and small businesses. Various items from these stores are currently listed on the Google Shopping Express online store. Testers can shop for various items, choose the delivery time (9-5, 10am, or anytime...), and wait for an item to show up.
Google is promising same-day free delivery service for all of the items in its store. But, one has to wonder if Google isn't branching out too much here. I mean, Google is, well, Google and not Amazon. It's clear that Google wants to make some more cash (and what company doesn't?), but shopping and express deliveries?
Testers Needed
The news that Google might be starting up a delivery service like this one surfaced some time ago. However, it was all just a strange rumour at that time. Now, the rumour has come to life, and those within the San Francisco Bay area can take advantage of the new service. Right now, Google is looking for delivery testers.
If you do live in the San Fran Bay area, you can head to the Google Shopping Express site and click on the "testers" button. Google is also asking local stores and coffee shops to sign up for the service. For now, the service is free, but that might not be the case for long.
Subscriptions Coming?
Some resources are reporting this morning that Google might charge a yearly subscription fee of $69 for the same-day delivery service. That price might seem high to some, but it is actually $10 less than Amazon's current same-day pricing. Would you pay $69 per year for an unlimited amount of same-day deliveries?
Of course, you still have to pay for the item that you order, but it's likely that Google will be hooking up the Express service with Google Wallet to make that happen. The idea of same-day service seems to be a popular one, though it does seem way out of Google's realm. Seemingly, this new service will also pave the way for delivery jobs, and that's a good thing for the economy if it works out.
Google has stated that the Express service will be available in other areas as soon as the company works out all of the current kinks. Right now, those who live in San Francisco are lucky, lucky, folks.