Why did Amazon open its logistics network?

Amazon opens its logistics network to outside businesses

Amazon has begun offering its logistics network to any business, a shift driven by its efforts to reduce reliance on external carriers—especially the U.S. Postal Service—and build more of its own delivery and storage capabilities.

The move expands what Amazon provides beyond online retail. Amazon is now positioning parts of its logistics infrastructure as a platform that other companies can use to move goods, store inventory, and handle last-mile delivery for both raw materials and finished products.

What’s changing operationally

Amazon’s Supply Chain Services—described as letting other companies use Amazon’s logistics network—signals that:

• Warehousing and delivery capacity can be “rented” instead of businesses having to stitch together multiple shipping partners.
• Amazon’s network becomes a competitor to traditional fulfillment models, giving shippers a route that’s integrated end-to-end.
• Control over transportation and delivery speeds improves from Amazon’s perspective, since it can coordinate more of the pipeline itself.

Why it matters

This kind of offering is a strategic response to logistics constraints and carrier dependency. By monetizing internal capabilities, Amazon can diversify revenue while leveraging scale advantages in routing, sorting, and distribution.

For customers and partners, the practical appeal is simplified supply chain execution: companies can potentially reduce complexity by using Amazon-managed logistics rather than coordinating multiple vendors and service-level agreements.

Overall, the change turns Amazon’s logistics footprint into a broader services business, not just a supporting function for Amazon’s own commerce.