Amazon has received a patent for “anticipatory shipping,” a system for delivering packages before customers even buy them. According to the patent, the online retailer would use information from previous searches and orders, wish lists, items in the shopping cart, and even how long a user’s cursor hovers over an item to determine what to ship. Amazon would then ship the package to a regional hub or even an apartment building to reduce delivery time once a user actually places their order. As WSJD points out, it’s not clear when or if Amazon plans to enact the anticipatory shipping packages outlined in the patent, but the practice is in line with the company’s attempts to cut down delivery times to compete with physical retailers.
image via Hirotomo T
via WSJD
