Faster delivery of nearly everything is the next big thing

NEW YORK — Waiting is so yesterday.

Shoppers increasingly want their orders to arrive at their doorsteps as soon as they click a button, whether it's a hot meal, groceries or a sofa. In response, retailers are betting big on delivery services to drop off packages faster.

In the latest development, online leader Amazon, which played a crucial role in raising shoppers' expectations for near-instant gratification in recent years, announced plans Thursday to assemble its own fleet of delivery vans that would be operated by independent contractors.

Other companies are also thinking of radical new initiatives to get their products into customers' hands more easily, helping to transform shopping as we know it.

Here's a look at the shifting environment for deliveries: WHAT ARE RETAILERS DOING TO DELIVER PRODUCTS FASTER TO SHOPPERS' HOMES? Many have been expanding services that let online shoppers pick up their orders at the store. But the latest strategy? Delivering products to customers' homes on the same day.

Walmart plans to expand same-day grocery delivery to more than 40 percent of U.S. households, or 100 metro areas by year's end. It will continue to use ride-hailing services but is also testing the use of store employees to drop off merchandise at homes at the end of their work shifts.

With its $550 million acquisition of logistics startup Shipt, Target plans to roll out sameday delivery nationwide this year.