Google has expanded its two-day Google Express delivery service to 40 million new customers in the Midwest, now offering it in 17 states in its push against the dominance of Amazon Prime’s two-day guarantee and its 60 million U.S. customers.
Google Express first established a beachhead in the region a year ago, including grocery delivery. At that time, it abandoned its hub distribution approach in favor of delivering directly from retail partners.
The new coverage area for Google Express ranges from Texas to North Dakota and from Missouri to Colorado. Retailers it works with in the region include Costco, Barnes & Noble, PetSmart, Kohl’s, Guitar Center, Walgreens and Whole Foods.
Google also now offers overnight delivery in 19 states, and same-day delivery in southern and northern California, Washington, DC, Manhattan, Chicago and Boston. This compares to 27 markets offering Amazon Prime Now.
Brian Elliot, general manager of Google Express, said it plans to add overnight delivery in the Midwest as more retailers come on board and become comfortable with the service.
The cost of Google Express is slightly less than Amazon Prime – $95 for an annual subscription vs. $99, while non-subscribers can pay $4.99 per order.
Mike O’Brien is Senior Editor of Multichannel Merchant