Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Harlan County Chamber of Commerce heard a presentation during their July meeting concerning the ins and outs of a local business becoming an Amazon Hub partner.

The Chamber called on Amazon Hub representative Karen Soyza to provide information on the matter.

“Amazon Hub partners with small businesses and asks them to help deliver packages” Soyza said. “Right now, Kentucky and Tennessee are just opening, they don’t even have their sort center open. So, I’ve been coming down to the area and talking with small businesses, getting people signed on and getting ready for the packages to start flowing.”

According to Soyza, an Amazon Hub location will only be located at an already established business which meets certain requirements. She mentioned long delivery times are unacceptable.

“This is a rural program,” Soyza said. “We’re only working in rural areas. Your area is considered rural…probably your packages don’t arrive in the two days that we want.”

Soyza explained Amazon Hub locations typically handle 20 to 50 packages per day and only deliver within a ten-mile zone.

“You would have an app on your phone,” Soyza said. “You scan the packages in…we pay per package.”

She said an Amazon Hub partner may expect to earn approximately $30,000 to $40,000 per year.

“That’s a second revenue stream for a business that could help keep the lights on,” Soyza said. “We’ve had people use it to start a scholarship fund for their employees. One company needed a new furnace, so they did this program and were able to buy a new furnace.”

She pointed out anybody over the age of 18 can make the deliveries. There are Amazon Hub locations in Middlesboro and Cumberland. However, there are currently no Amazon Hub locations in the city of Harlan.

“Right now, we are not in your area,” Soyza said.

Soyza explained the decision to place an Amazon Hub location in an area is based on inquiries about the opportunity from business owners.

For more information, go to https://logistics.amazon.com/hubdelivery.