Following reports earlier this week that there were racial disparities in the service levels offered by Amazon in certain metropolitan areas - not offering same-day delivery to poor African-American neighborhoods - Amazon said yesterday that "t will bring same-day delivery to the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston," which previously was not being served.
Other than announcing the expanded service parameters, Amazon did not comment on the circumstances surrounding the change.
However, Bloomberg points out that there was immediate and considerable political pressure focused on the e-tailer once its analysis of Amazon's service areas became public, finding "varying degrees of racial disparity in the service boundaries in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Washington."
Other than announcing the expanded service parameters, Amazon did not comment on the circumstances surrounding the change.
However, Bloomberg points out that there was immediate and considerable political pressure focused on the e-tailer once its analysis of Amazon's service areas became public, finding "varying degrees of racial disparity in the service boundaries in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York and Washington."
- KC's View:
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Regardless of the reasons behind Amazon's service patterns, the optics were bad ... and the narrative had to be changed. No reason to delay.