Amazon Plans to Invest $4 Billion to Expand Rural Deliveries by 2026

Amazon plans to expand its delivery network and soon reach small towns. The online shopping giant announced this week that it would expand rural deliveries to reach more than 13,000 zip codes and speed up delivery times for millions of people to get their products faster. By the end of 2026, Amazon plans to have tripled its delivery network with the multibillion-dollar expansion.

“This investment will also grow our rural delivery network’s footprint to over 200 delivery stations, and we estimate it will create over 100,000 new jobs and driving opportunities through a wide range of full-time, part-time and flexible positions in our buildings and on the roads,” Udit Madan, senior vice president of worldwide operations at Amazon, said in a statement.

James Bricknell, senior editor and e-commerce expert at CNET, said the expansion is a smart move for Amazon. “If they can cut out the other carriers, they can control the prices businesses pay to them, making it cheaper for Amazon in the long run,” he said.

Making deliveries cheaper would be an important factor for Amazon, given this comes at a moment when President Donald Trump’s tariff agenda is looming and expected to increase prices on products across Amazon. Earlier this week, the tech giant said it had no plans to roll out a feature that notes cost increases on its website.

The company’s expansion news also comes days after Amazon announced its next Prime Day Sale expected this July. Bricknell added that he’s curious to see how much pushback the company could get from rural towns. “Small towns don’t often like large warehouses blotting the landscape so Amazon might have a fight there,” he said.

The expansion to rural communities is expected to help support small businesses in these areas. Small businesses can send deliveries through the Amazon Hub Delivery program so business owners can deliver their products to customers.