Even though Amazon reported an earnings miss in the first quarter of 2020, its sales grew from 10% last year to 32% this year, as more consumers shopped online to avoid physical stores.
But while the online sales giant reported massive growth, it still has to prioritize customer orders with the needs of everyday people staying in due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Assets used to deliver Amazon's wares will be used for essential items first. If your order isn't some kind of essential item, it may be delayed.
That's why Amazon needs more delivery assets, and it wants American military veterans to be those assets.
Rather than simply hiring veterans to be part of Amazon delivery systems, the retailer wants to train veterans instead to start their own delivery companies and contract their services out to Amazon.
Amazon's Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program is designed to help veterans build a delivery service business from the ground up in order to deliver packages in their local areas. Since beginning the program in 2018, the retail giant has trained 800 entrepreneurs who have hired some 75,000 workers.
A full one-third of those business owners are veterans. The investment in veterans has paid off so much for Amazon that the company wants even more veterans running Smile packages in their hometowns. It has set aside $5 million for startup costs and up to $10,000 in reimbursements for veterans looking to start their own companies.
No experience is required. Amazon will help aspiring veterans with that part of the business.
Amazon said each DSP will operate 20-40 vans and hire 40-100 employees to manage the logistics of deliveries seven days a week, 365 days a year. And Amazon practically does all the legwork of getting set up with a delivery service center. The rest is up to you.
According to the Amazon DSP website, partners can expect up to $4.5 million in revenues and take home upward of $300,000 in profits.
With low startup costs, free training, access to use the Amazon brand and even reimbursements for getting started, the barrier to being one's own boss just became very low at a time when demand is sky high.
To learn how to get started, visit Amazon's Delivery Service Partner Program website.
-- Blake Stilwell can be reached at blake.stilwell@military.com. He can also be found on Twitter @blakestilwell or on Facebook.
Want to Know More About Veteran Jobs?
Be sure to get the latest news about post-military careers as well as critical info about veteran jobs and all the benefits of service. Subscribe to Military.com and receive customized updates delivered straight to your inbox.
