• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechAmazon Prime

Is Amazon Prime Too White?

By
Hilary Brueck
Hilary Brueck
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Hilary Brueck
Hilary Brueck
Down Arrow Button Icon
April 22, 2016, 9:16 AM ET
Photograph by Rick Wilking — Reuters

Amazon Prime’s same-day delivery service, a limited menu of items that can be delivered to your doorstep in hours, isn’t available everywhere.

The e-commerce giant touts the growing lightning-quick service in areas of 27 cities around the country, where Prime customers can get same-day delivery on over a million products, with free shipping on orders over $35.

But a new Bloomberg investigation finds that the company is trotting out a lot more of those special same-day orders to predominantly white neighborhoods in the major cities it serves, and leaving more majority black ZIP codes out of the loop. Household incomes in some of those ignored neighborhoods are as high or higher than zip codes that Amazon does cover, Bloomberg adds.

Amazon’s cagey on the details of how exactly it decides where to divvy up same-day service and when, but the company says that with time, its service areas in all big cities will grow.

“There are a number of factors that go into determining where we can deliver same-day,” Amazon wrote in a statement to Fortune. “Those include distance to the nearest fulfillment center, local demand in an area, numbers of Prime members in an area, as well as the ability of our various carrier partners to deliver up to 9:00 pm every single day, even Sunday.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

Bloomberg notes in some major cities that leaves black residents about half as likely as white ones to be eligible for the service. The predominantly black Roxbury neighborhood in central Boston, for example, is left out of Amazon Prime’s same-day coverage even though it is bordered on all sides by same-day-delivery zones, the report says. Similar examples arise in cities across the country, including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C.

Amazon’s Prime service launched over 10 years ago, and the tool helps the company retain a loyal following of customers reigning in perks like free and fast shipping, streaming music videos, e-books, and cloud storage. But Prime’s also been a perennial money-drain for the company, costing Amazon billions to maintain.

For more on Amazon, watch:

Amazon’s same-day service, which launched about a year ago, can’t go through the U.S. postal system, so the company has to employ a mix of its own drivers and local couriers to get the rapid-delivery packages out.

Amazon doesn’t disclose hard numbers, but it’s estimated that about 54 million people in the U.S. are Prime members, whether they have that same-day delivery option or not.

 

Update Apr 22, 2016 1:33 pm E.T.: This story has been updated with a statement from Amazon.

About the Author
By Hilary Brueck
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

duke
Big TechAmazon
Amazon Prime Video reaches deal with Duke Blue Devils to air 3 games per season
By The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
31 minutes ago
valerie
CommentaryLayoffs
Tesla’s former HR chief: the AI layoff panic Is built on a false premise—here’s what most workers need to know
By Valerie Capers WorkmanMay 1, 2026
39 minutes ago
AI
AIdisruption
Meet the Americans dismissing AI hype and using it with ingenuity: ‘The efficiencies gained out of it have been tremendous’
By Cathy Bussewitz and The Associated PressMay 1, 2026
40 minutes ago
Tim Cook, chief executive officer of Apple Inc., inside the Steve Jobs Theater during an event at Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California, US.
AICFO Daily
Apple just posted $111 billion in revenue. Now its CFO and incoming CEO are teaming up
By Sheryl EstradaMay 1, 2026
50 minutes ago
Exclusive: Startup Fun raises $72 million for the serious business of converting crypto and cash
CryptoVenture Capital
Exclusive: Startup Fun raises $72 million for the serious business of converting crypto and cash
By Ben WeissMay 1, 2026
2 hours ago
The fruit fly cancer researcher who built his first prototype out of lollipop sticks and straws
NewslettersTerm Sheet
The fruit fly cancer researcher who built his first prototype out of lollipop sticks and straws
By Allie GarfinkleMay 1, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
North America
China dominates the world's lithium supply. The U.S. just found 328 years' worth in its own backyard
By Jake AngeloApril 30, 2026
20 hours ago
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
Success
Apple cofounder Ronald Wayne—whose stake would be worth up to $400 billion had he not sold it in 1976—says that at 91, he has no regrets
By Preston ForeApril 27, 2026
4 days ago
Accenture's Julie Sweet blew up 50 years of company history. She says the hardest part is still ahead
Conferences
Accenture's Julie Sweet blew up 50 years of company history. She says the hardest part is still ahead
By Nick LichtenbergApril 29, 2026
2 days ago
America shot its arsenal empty in 2 wars. Now it needs Beijing's permission to reload
Commentary
America shot its arsenal empty in 2 wars. Now it needs Beijing's permission to reload
By Steve H. Hanke and Jeffrey WengApril 30, 2026
20 hours ago
Google Cloud revenue is now 18% of Alphabet's business. Is this the beginning of the end of Google's search identity?
Big Tech
Google Cloud revenue is now 18% of Alphabet's business. Is this the beginning of the end of Google's search identity?
By Alexei OreskovicApril 29, 2026
2 days ago
Exclusive: America's largest Black-owned bank launches podcast with mission to unlock hidden shame holding back generational wealth
Banking
Exclusive: America's largest Black-owned bank launches podcast with mission to unlock hidden shame holding back generational wealth
By Nick LichtenbergApril 29, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.