Newegg introduces same-day delivery in Los Angeles area

Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Local online retailer Newegg is taking on the big boys when it comes to same-day delivery.
Local online retailer Newegg is taking on the big boys when it comes to same-day delivery.
KABC-KABC

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Local online retailer Newegg is taking on the big boys when it comes to same-day delivery.

First it was two-day delivery, and then customers of Amazon Prime were able to get same-day delivery of the items they bought on the website. Then Google thought that was a pretty good way to drum up business, and the company started same-day delivery just a few months ago with Google Shopping Express.

The two online behemoths had the money and size to make same-day delivery a standard. Starting Monday, electronics website Newegg.com is joining the competition.

"It's more about meeting the customer's expectations than trying to cater to what the customers are looking for," said Newegg Senior Vice President Kunal Thakkar. "We have a lot of customers that would like to get delivery on the same day and that is one of the things that got us initiated on this."

Newegg.com is the second largest "e-tailer" of consumer electronics. In their warehouses they have 20,000 to 30,000 items, and almost every one of them can be delivered on the same day.

"The customers placing an order before 11 a.m. and if we have these selected items that are available for same-day delivery in stock, then the customers would get the delivery by 8 p.m. on that same day," said Thakkar.

At Newegg in the City of Industry, it starts with an order at the computer, which is quickly filled. Down the miles of conveyor belts, the boxes are sent to the fleet of new trucks for delivery in the greater L.A. area.

Although the customer cost is $19.99, industry experts say such service is expensive for the businesses and they wonder if same-day delivery is good business, or merely a fad.

But for one business who used the service, same-day delivery was a very pleasant surprise.

"Really surprised," said Newegg customer Vicki Rojas. "We were like, 'What is Newegg doing here already?' They just placed this order this morning, so that was pretty cool. I didn't know they did that."