Amazon launches 15-minute delivery across UAE with micro fulfillment centers

Amazon announced on October 21, 2025, the expansion of its fastest delivery service to date across the United Arab Emirates. The company now delivers everyday essentials to customers in 15 minutes through a network of micro fulfillment centers positioned throughout UAE neighborhoods. The service, branded Amazon Now, operates alongside a newly introduced 2-hour delivery option covering thousands of products from over 30 categories.

According to the announcement, the ultra-fast delivery service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Ronaldo Mouchawar, vice president of Amazon Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, stated that "every innovation at Amazon starts with our customers, and Amazon Now is designed for their pace of life here, bringing everyday essentials to customers in minutes—with customers across some locations receiving deliveries as fast as 6 minutes."

The service covers all major locations including Dubai Marina, JBR, JLT, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Barsha, JVC, Karama, Mizhar, Warqa, Business Bay, Al Nahda, DIP, Festival City, Arjan, Jabel Ali, Al Sufouh, Al Bada, Raja, Rashidiya, Meydan, Abu Dhabi Central, Rowdhat, Al Ain, and Al Khan. Customers in eligible locations can access Amazon Now through the Amazon app or by visiting www.amazon.ae/now.

Technical infrastructure enabling rapid delivery

Amazon Now operates through strategically located micro fulfillment centers designed exclusively for ultra-fast deliveries. These compact, technology-enabled facilities position essential selection close to customer neighborhoods. The centers utilize advanced inventory systems that optimize product placement based on hyperlocal demand. This proximity-based delivery model combines Amazon's operational expertise with specialized technology to create a seamless experience from order to doorstep within minutes.

The micro fulfillment center approach differs substantially from traditional fulfillment infrastructure. While Amazon has expanded its Same-Day Delivery network to over 1,000 cities in the United States, the UAE deployment represents a more concentrated urban strategy. These facilities reduce delivery distances and ease traffic congestion by positioning inventory within residential areas rather than in large peripheral warehouses.

Product selection within Amazon Now covers fresh fruits and vegetables, grocery items, electronics, beauty products, health and personal care items, fashion accessories, household items, kitchen appliances, and baby care. Prime members receive free shipping on Amazon Now orders above AED 25, while orders below this threshold incur a delivery fee of AED 6.

Prime membership integration and growth metrics

The response to Amazon Now has exceeded internal projections, according to Mouchawar. "Daily orders growing at more than 40% on average month over month and Prime members doubling their shopping frequency after they begin using Amazon Now," he stated in the announcement.

The service extends Amazon's broader strategy of enhancing Prime membership value. The company reported serving over 200 million paid Prime members globally. Throughout 2025, Amazon has systematically expanded Prime benefits. Prime Day 2025 extended to four days for the first time, running from July 8-11 and achieving record sales according to company announcements.

Prime members gained the ability to add items to upcoming deliveries with a single tap through the Add to Delivery feature announced October 2, 2025. The feature operates through the Amazon Shopping app and Amazon.com on mobile devices, addressing scenarios where customers remember needed items after placing an order.

Two-hour delivery expands product selection

Amazon.ae simultaneously launched a 2-hour delivery service covering products from over 30 categories. The service includes electronics, grocery, beauty, health and personal care, nutrition, and baby products. Eligible products display "Get it Today by XX:XXpm" labels with a lightning icon for easy identification.

Prime members using the 2-hour delivery service receive free shipping on orders above AED 100, or pay a delivery fee of AED 3 per order for basket sizes below this value. The service operates across most major areas in the UAE, with plans to expand to additional locations in coming months.

The two-tier delivery approach provides customers flexibility based on urgency and product requirements. Essential items requiring immediate delivery flow through Amazon Now's micro fulfillment network, while broader product selection utilizes the 2-hour delivery infrastructure drawing from larger fulfillment centers.

Implications for digital commerce and advertising

The deployment of 15-minute delivery infrastructure carries significant implications for retail media strategies and conversion optimization. Ultra-fast delivery reduces the gap between intent and fulfillment, potentially altering consumer behavior patterns around impulse purchases and last-minute needs.

For advertisers operating within Amazon's ecosystem, the expanded delivery capabilities create new targeting opportunities. Products available through Amazon Now may command premium placement in search results and sponsored listings, as delivery speed increasingly influences purchase decisions. The ability to promise 15-minute delivery for sponsored products could substantially impact click-through rates and conversion metrics.

The micro fulfillment center network also generates granular demand data at the neighborhood level. This hyperlocal information enables more precise inventory positioning and potentially more sophisticated geographic targeting for advertising campaigns. Understanding which products achieve high velocity in specific neighborhoods allows for optimized bidding strategies and product recommendations.

Amazon's advertising revenue reached $15.7 billion in Q2 2025, representing a 22% year-over-year increase. The expanded delivery infrastructure provides additional advertising inventory across a larger geographic footprint and more frequent customer interactions.

The UAE deployment follows patterns established in other markets where Amazon has prioritized delivery speed as a competitive differentiator. Amazon Prime delivery speeds hit record highs globally, with over 5 billion items delivered same-day or next-day in the first half of 2024, representing a 30% increase compared to the previous year.

However, the micro fulfillment center model represents a departure from the regionalized fulfillment network strategy Amazon has pursued in the United States. Rather than reducing distances between large fulfillment centers and customers, the UAE approach embeds small-format facilities directly within customer neighborhoods.

Technology and operational requirements

The technical requirements for Amazon Now demonstrate substantial operational complexity. The system must process orders, locate products within micro fulfillment centers, assign delivery personnel, and complete deliveries within 15-minute windows. This requires millisecond-level processing of inventory data, route optimization, and real-time capacity management.

The advanced inventory systems optimize product placement based on hyperlocal demand patterns. Unlike traditional fulfillment centers that stock products based on regional or national demand forecasts, micro fulfillment centers adjust inventory based on neighborhood-specific purchasing behavior. This requires sophisticated demand prediction algorithms and rapid replenishment processes.

Safety considerations also factor into the ultra-fast delivery model. The company stated that the centers "maximize efficiency and speed with safety," though specific safety protocols were not detailed in the announcement.

Competitive landscape and market positioning

The launch positions Amazon as the fastest delivery provider in the UAE market. Traditional grocery delivery services typically offer 1-2 hour delivery windows, while most e-commerce platforms operate on same-day or next-day delivery schedules.

The 15-minute delivery window matches capabilities offered by specialized quick commerce providers in other markets, including services like Getir, Gorillas, and Gopuff in various international markets. These services typically focus exclusively on groceries and convenience items, while Amazon Now encompasses a broader product range including electronics and fashion accessories.

The service launch also contrasts with Amazon's experimentation with alternative delivery technologies. Amazon has developed smart glasses for delivery drivers with AI-powered tracking announced October 22, 2025, and enhanced its Prime Air drone delivery service with 60-minute service using MK30 technology. The UAE deployment relies on human delivery personnel operating from micro fulfillment centers rather than automated or aerial delivery systems.

The announcement emphasized the "trusted Amazon shopping experience" alongside speed, noting seamless returns, refunds, customer service support, and no hidden costs. This positions the service within Amazon's broader ecosystem rather than as a standalone quick commerce offering.

Expansion plans and future developments

Amazon indicated plans to expand Amazon Now and 2-hour delivery to additional locations in the UAE in coming months. The announcement did not specify which areas would receive service next or provide timelines for expansion.

The current coverage already encompasses most major population centers in the UAE, suggesting future expansion will likely target secondary markets or fill gaps within existing service areas. The company stated the service is "currently live across most major areas across the UAE."

The micro fulfillment center model could potentially scale to other markets within Amazon Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, or serve as a blueprint for ultra-fast delivery in other high-density urban markets globally. The success of the UAE deployment, measured by the reported 40% month-over-month order growth, may influence expansion decisions.

The launch represents Amazon's continued investment in delivery infrastructure and customer convenience. The company has consistently prioritized delivery speed as a key competitive advantage and Prime membership benefit. The UAE market provides an opportunity to test ultra-fast delivery in a concentrated urban environment with relatively affluent consumers and established e-commerce adoption.

Timeline

• July 8-11, 2025: Amazon Prime Day 2025 extends to four days for first time, achieving record sales
• August 13, 2025: Amazon expands grocery delivery to 1,000+ cities with same-day service
• October 2, 2025: Amazon launches one-tap delivery feature for Prime members
• October 21, 2025: Amazon announces 15-minute delivery service across UAE through Amazon Now
• October 22, 2025: Amazon develops smart glasses for delivery drivers with AI-powered tracking

Summary

Who: Amazon Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, led by vice president Ronaldo Mouchawar, launched the service for customers across the UAE. Prime members receive preferential pricing and free delivery on qualifying orders.

What: Amazon Now delivers everyday essentials including fresh produce, groceries, electronics, beauty products, personal care items, fashion accessories, household items, and baby care in 15 minutes through micro fulfillment centers. A companion 2-hour delivery service covers thousands of products across over 30 categories on Amazon.ae.

When: Amazon announced the service on October 21, 2025. The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with some locations receiving deliveries as fast as 6 minutes.

Where: The service covers all major UAE locations including Dubai Marina, JBR, JLT, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Barsha, JVC, Karama, Mizhar, Warqa, Business Bay, Al Nahda, DIP, Festival City, Arjan, Jabel Ali, Al Sufouh, Al Bada, Raja, Rashidiya, Meydan, Abu Dhabi Central, Rowdhat, Al Ain, and Al Khan, with plans to expand to additional locations.

Why: The service addresses evolving customer needs for faster delivery of everyday essentials while reducing delivery distances and easing traffic congestion. The micro fulfillment center model positions inventory close to customer neighborhoods, enabling 15-minute delivery windows. Daily orders have grown at more than 40% on average month over month, with Prime members doubling their shopping frequency after beginning to use Amazon Now.