Amazon and Walmart are pushing for even faster deliveries

Next-day isn't enough anymore. Two retail giants are racing to win the speed game.

May 2, 2025 - 13:17

Remember when getting a package in two days felt fast?

Those days are over.

In 2025, faster is never fast enough — and Amazon (AMZN) and Walmart (WMT) are making sure of it.

Both retail giants have announced plans to speed up deliveries even more, shrinking fulfillment windows and expanding same-day offerings.

The goal? Not just to meet rising customer expectations — but to shape them.

As someone who proudly has both apps on my phone, I get it. I’m constantly toggling back and forth, seeing which one can get me what I need faster — and whoever wins usually gets my order.

Because in today’s world, convenience isn’t a bonus anymore. It’s the expectation.

And the race isn’t just about speed. It’s about loyalty, spending, and who owns the future of shopping.

Amazon and Walmart are doubling down on faster deliveries.
Image source: Bloomberg/Getty Images

How Amazon and Walmart are speeding up the race

For Amazon, faster delivery isn’t just a perk. It’s part of the brand's DNA.

The company recently announced it delivered 4.8 billion units either same-day or next-day in 2023, up from 4.4 billion in 2022.

It’s also investing heavily in expanding its network of same-day delivery sites, with plans for 600 locations across the U.S.

The goal is simple: cut down every possible second between a shopper clicking "Buy Now" and a package hitting the doorstep.

Walmart is taking a slightly different approach.

It’s using a mix of resources — including its expansive network of stores, Sam’s Clubs, fulfillment centers, and even drone deliveries — to boost its fast delivery reach across the U.S.

During the 2023 peak shopping season last year, Walmart said it fulfilled nearly 4 million packages per day, largely driven by store-based and local fulfillment efforts, according to the company's investor updates.

Today, Walmart can already reach 93% of U.S. households with same-day delivery, and it plans to push that even higher, aiming for 95% coverage by the end of this year, according to Dave Guggina, chief e-commerce officer of Walmart U.S.

By using its massive store footprint, Walmart can cover more ground without having to build a brand-new infrastructure.

While the playbook might look a little different, the goal is the same. Get to customers faster than anyone else, and keep them coming back.

Faster deliveries are becoming the new normal

This race isn’t just about beating each other. It’s about reshaping what shoppers expect from everyone.

The faster Amazon and Walmart move, the more pressure they put on smaller retailers — and even other big players — to keep up.

Same-day delivery used to feel like a luxury. Now, it’s quickly becoming commonplace. But faster may not always be always better.

There’s growing concern that in the rush to speed things up, companies could sacrifice product quality, worker conditions, and sustainability just to shave off a few extra hours.

And once customers get used to lightning-fast delivery, there’s no going back.

For now, though, the delivery wars are only picking up speed. And if you’re anything like me, you’ll be watching closely to see who wins the race — one package at a time.