Today in the Connected Economy: Amazon Unveils Same-Day Local Retail Deliveries

Today in the connected economy, Amazon offers Prime members same-day delivery from a slate of local retail stores around the country. Plus, the founder of Ethereum casts doubt on Meta’s ability to launch a metaverse, and Tiffany & Co. ventures into the world of non-fungible tokens (NFTs).

Amazon Offers Same-Day Delivery From Local Retailers

Amazon is giving Prime members in 10 metro areas around the United States the ability to shop at local retail stores via the company’s app and website and have those goods delivered the same day. The metro areas include Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Seattle and Washington D.C. Participating retailers include PacSun, GNC, SuperDry and Diesel, with Sur La Table and 100% Pure expected to join soon. There is also the option to purchase products online and pick them up in stores, a free service for Prime members who spend at least $25 on qualifying items and $2.99 for members who spend less than $25.

Ethereum’s Founder Says Facebook’s Metaverse Vision Is Doomed

Ethereum Founder Vitalik Buterin has cast some doubt on Meta Founder Mark Zuckerberg’s plans to build a metaverse. Buterin said he thinks the metaverse will be built, but none of the existing corporate attempts to intentionally create the metaverse will go anywhere.” He also said “we don’t really know the definition of ‘the metaverse’ yet, it’s far too early to know what people actually want. So anything Facebook creates now will misfire.”

Tiffany NFTs to Hit the Market at $50K

Amid an era of upheaval in the non-fungible token (NFT) market, Tiffany & Co. is jumping into the fray this week with virtual and physical pendants designed for CryptoPunks owners that look a lot like that line of digital collectibles. The pendants come with a price tag of 30 ETH (about $50,000) each, which “includes the cost of the NFT, the custom pendant, the chain and shipping/handling,” the retailer said.

Razer Merchant Services Expands BNPL Acceptance With Atome Partnership

Razer Merchant Services (RMS) of Malaysia has teamed up with the Asian buy now, pay later (BNPL) brand Atome to offer flexible deferred payment options during checkout at online and offline merchants. Among the first merchants taking advantage of the partnership is Starbucks. The coffee chain and other B2C merchants that use BNPL can make their products more attainable to consumers through flexible, deferred payments.