Amazon Wants to Ship Your Package Before You Buy It

Amazon.com knows you so well it wants to ship your next package before you order it. The Seattle-based retailer in December acquired a patent for what it calls "anticipatory shipping," a method to start delivering packages even before customers click "buy." The technique could cut delivery time and discourage consumers from visiting physical stores. In the patent document, Amazon says delays between ordering and receiving purchases "may dissuade customers from buying items from online merchants."