The convenience of online shopping paired with fast, free delivery services like those from Amazon and Walmart has significantly transformed life in small, remote areas. When visiting our local post office in Great Land, it’s common to see around half the patrons collecting packages from Amazon or Walmart. This option is far more convenient than making a 70-mile trip to Anchorage for products that aren’t available locally. Though it may take a bit longer for items to reach us, that’s just how it is. Currently, next-day delivery by Amazon isn’t available in rural Alaska or in many small rural communities within the continental United States.

This situation might soon improve. On Tuesday, Amazon revealed its plan to invest $4 billion to significantly enhance its next-day and same-day delivery services in rural regions.

The e-commerce powerhouse, Amazon, is committing over $4 billion to broaden its delivery network threefold by 2026, placing particular emphasis on boosting delivery capabilities to rural parts of the U.S.

Tens of millions of U.S. customers in more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns and rural communities will get access to same-day and next-day delivery by the end of the year, the company announced on Tuesday. It’s the latest development in its effort to ramp up shipping speeds and jockey for dominance against competitors like Walmart.

So far in 2025, Amazon said that the number of items the company delivered the same or next day in the U.S. increased by more than 30% compared with the same period last year. Now, it’s trying to ensure it’s appealing to rural consumers.

Note that one sentence, stating they are looking to “jockey for dominance against competitors like Walmart.” There is no doubt that this is the case, but bear in mind that if Amazon starts stealing any market share from Big W with this move, Walmart will quickly follow suit. And I can tell you this: Here in our Susitna Valley homestead, which I concede is more outlying and rural than most, Amazon packages can take a week to ten days to arrive. There’s no next-day delivery from Amazon here – but Walmart has a warehouse in Anchorage, which means we can get deliveries from Walmart in one day. Amazon’s nearest warehouse is, if memory serves, in the Seattle area. (We’re getting one, though.)

I have no idea how many of these communities being looked at by Amazon are in similar positions.

Here’s the best bit: This will mean jobs, as well, many in those same rural communities.

Amazon’s delivery network consists of delivery stations located close to customers, where packages are prepared for delivery, and programs that partner with individuals and small businesses who deliver packages on behalf of Amazon. With the added investment. Amazon touted it will also create an average of 170 jobs at the delivery stations in addition to driving opportunities.

Sounds like a win-win.