# Amazon's 1,000 fulfillment centers take aim at Walmart

> Amazon is building a massive same-day delivery network to match Walmart's store-based advantage.
- Title: Amazon's 1,000 fulfillment centers take aim at Walmart
- Summary: Amazon is building a massive same-day delivery network to match Walmart's store-based advantage. Amazon's Project Mercury aims to place inventory within 10…
- Keywords: amazon, walmart, same-day delivery, project mercury, fulfillment centers, e-commerce, retail competition, logistics, bank of america, prime members, business, technology
- Source: Business Insider — https://businessinsider.com/amazons1000-hub-same-day-delivery-bet-catching-walmart-bofa-analyst-2026-9
- Author: Eugene Kim
- Published: 2026-09-17T22:05:48.923+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: amazon, walmart, same-day delivery, project mercury, fulfillment centers, e-commerce, retail competition, logistics, bank of america, prime members, business, technology
## Amazon's 1,000 hub bet
Amazon is expanding same-day fulfillment centers from 85 to over 1,000 by 2031 under Project Mercury, aiming to reach 80% of US Prime members within 10 miles.
## Closing Walmart's advantage
Bank of America analysts say Project Mercury directly targets Walmart's biggest edge: its 5,000 stores put fast delivery within 10 miles of 90% of the US population.
## Speed over selection
Project Mercury focuses on 90,000 fast-moving products like paper towels and medicine, not Amazon's full catalog, to deliver everyday items faster without building massive local warehouses.
## The math works out
Bank of America estimates Project Mercury will cost $6.8 billion, turn cash-flow positive by 2030, and generate $7.1 billion in economic value over 10 years.
## Automation extends margins
Combined with automation initiatives like Project Tetromino, faster delivery and denser networks could improve Amazon's retail profit margins for years, analysts say.

> The combination of greater network density, faster delivery, and continued automation can improve customer experience while extending the Retail margin improvement cycle for multiple years.
## Key takeaway

Amazon's Project Mercury aims to place inventory within 10 miles of 80% of US Prime members by 2031, directly challenging Walmart's decades-old proximity edge.