Delivery Wars: Google to Distribute Costco, Other Firm's Products In New York, LA

Hot on the heels of Amazon's  announcement  that anyone so inclined can buy Amazon via Twitter, Google just coincidentally lets it be known that the delivery service it launched in San Fran can now be accessed in LA and New  York. All this  in partnership with Costco, ToysRUs, Target, Walgreen, Fairway and a bunch of other retail partners.

And just in case you thought this might
be serendipitous, Google is charging exactly $1 less than Amazon.

As if that werent enough,eBay has also entered this contest with a delivery service of its own. Pricing and available cities similar to the other two.

So same day delivery is suddenly the killer app? Forget what you're buying, it's all about how fast you can get it? There's no differentiation left in content, its the entitlement economy?

Let us posit that we are in yet another transitional phase. We know we can buy a lot of relatively similar stuff on the web. But extending that pipeline to the front door is thought to enhance engagement and repeat business (along with its famously higher margins). The glitches will be worked out and this too shall pass. We'll find some new inconsequential mountain to climb. But in the meantime, we can enjoy the spectacle of dueling delivery vans. JL

 
Alexis Kleinman reports in Huffington Post

Google announced Monday it's expanding its same-day delivery service, effective immediately. 
People in both West LA and Manhattan will be able to get anything they want from Costco

If you love Costco and live in Manhattan or West Los Angeles, your life is about to get a lot more convenient. Thanks to Google, you'll now be able to get your members-only groceries delivered to you for a small fee.
Google announced Monday it's expanding its same-day delivery service to both areas, effective immediately. The service was first launched in 2013 in the San Francisco area.
People in both West LA and Manhattan will be able to get anything they want from Costco, L'Occitane, Staples, Target, Walgreens and Babies "R" Us through the service. New Yorkers will additionally be able to shop at Fairway Market, and Angelenos can also shop at Guitar Center, Toys "R" Us and Smart & Final.
For now, Google is limiting its NYC-area service to Manhattan, though there are plans to expand to the outer boroughs in the future.
Same-day delivery will cost $4.99 per store with no minimum price of purchase and no limit on how much you buy. So whether you want $200 worth of groceries or just an enormous box or Corn Flakes, Google is only charging you $4.99.
That's significantly cheaper than Amazon's same-day delivery service, which costs $5.99 per order if you have Amazon Prime, a paid service that provides expedited shipping (among other perks). For non-Prime members, it's even more expensive: $9.98 for the first item ordered and $0.99 for each additional one.
The upside to using Amazon for now? Its same-day service is available in a total of 12 cities across the U.S. That and the electronics and entertainment selection is almost definitely better, especially for existing Prime members.
Online auction site eBay also has a same-day delivery service in San Francisco, Chicago, Dallas, San Jose and parts of NYC. For $5, you can get items from stores like Target, Urban Outfitters, Best Buy and Macy's delivered in just a few hours. There is a $25 minimum order.