Julie Leach, center with scissors, field acquisition manager for Amazon, cuts the ribbon during the ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce staff and ambassadors. She was joined by other representatives of Amazon.

By David Slone
Times-Union

WARSAW — If businesses in Warsaw, Winona Lake and North Webster want to earn extra income, Amazon is looking for partners.

Julie Leach, field acquisition manager for Amazon, explained, “We are looking to partner with local businesses to help us deliver packages. So we have lots of packages coming to Warsaw that we need help delivering. So this is an opportunity for businesses to earn extra money.”

If a business signs on to the Amazon Delivery Partner program, Amazon brings in 20 to 50 packages a day and the business gets paid for every package that it delivers.

Due to the high volume of packages that come to the area, she said that has created a need for the program.

“It’ll speed up delivery. It’ll keep the package in the hands of Amazon all the way. We’re looking to improve customer satisfaction, and we know that putting that package on their doorstep makes them happiest so we’re looking to have businesses help us deliver the packages,” Leach said.

Once the business gets the 20-50 packages a day, they scan the packages into their phone and it builds a route for them all within a 6-1/2-mile radius from their shop. They have until 8 p.m. to deliver the packages.

All packages are under 50 pounds. There will be no oversized packages, and the 20-50 packages can fit into a normal vehicle, she stated.

Leach said they are recruiting businesses because, “We have found that business owners are reliable, dependable people, so that’s who we want to partner with.”

The Amazon Delivery Partner program is new to Indiana, but it is in about 14 other states and growing.

“We’re looking to launch here in June/July, so it’s coming soon,” she said.

A business has the potential to earn about $45,000 a year in the program. During peak season, businesses will be offered the chance to deliver additional packages. Christmas is considered peak season.

Businesses go through a verification process. “We want to make sure they have an actual business entity and that they have general liability insurance, so those are a couple of the qualifications,” Leach said.

Any business that wants to become a partner can contact Leach by phone at 989-501-1600 or email at [email protected]; or sales representative Andrew Lynch at 574-596-3198 or [email protected].

To learn more, visit amazon.com/delivery-partner.