In the meantime, for those of us who have to use traditional means to get our products from point A to point B, Amazon's shadow is likely to play a role in any decision to outsource fulfillment. Again, the company has set the standard and revolutionized the retail part of the game with free two-day shipping for Prime members. Even without the help of futuristic octocopters, it likely won't be long before same-day delivery is realized.

"The reality is that Amazon is so big that they are now mandating what the customer satisfaction requirements are for everyone, even if you don't think that you compete with Amazon," said Jim Tompkins, president of Tompkins International.

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