Amazon promises one-hour delivery in Manhattan, more locations on the way

Amazon launched Prime Now in select areas of Manhattan on Thursday, and the necessary Prime Now app is available for iOS and Android devices. Additional cities will be added next year, Amazon said without revealing any names.

The shipping service will be available from 6 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. Two-hour delivery is free and one-hour delivery costs US$7.99. As the name implies, users first have to sign up for a regular Prime membership to use the service. Amazon Prime costs $99 a year and offers customers two-day shipping at no additional cost.

Not all products are available through Prime Now. Among the included items are paper towels, shampoo, and batteries. Users who download the app will be told when Prime Now becomes available where they live.

A portion of Amazon's new building on 34th Street in Manhattan will serve as a hub for delivery of Prime Now orders, the company said.

Amazon didn't announce any plans for offering the service outside the U.S.

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