Office Depot rolls out same-day delivery in 3 markets
Back-to-school shopping is right around the corner. Office Depot plans to offer same-day delivery service just in time for students and professionals alike.
The supply chain giant, which had sales of $11 billion last year, is partnering with Deliv, a crowdsourced, same-day delivery startup, to provide the shopping option.
The service will roll out in three markets: Atlanta and Los Angeles on Aug. 28 and the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area Sept. 6.
“Retail is undergoing a rapid transformation,” Kevin Moffitt, senior vice president and chief digital officer at Office Depot, said in a statement. “Adding same-day delivery capabilities to our growing in-store pickup and shipfrom-store programs allows us to better leverage our retail locations as distribution hubs, and serve our customers faster and more efficiently.”
With Deliv, unlike three-party delivery apps, customers can shop directly at OfficeDepot.com, scheduling same-day delivery at their convenience for items 50 pounds or less.
“With this business model, Office Depot holds the customer relationship,” Daphne Carmeli, chief executive officer and founder at Deliv, told USA TODAY.
In a press release, Office Depot said it plans to waive delivery fees as an introductory offer. Anne Marie Mathews, public relations spokeswoman for Office Depot, said the free delivery will likely not last forever, but the company has not yet determined when they will update delivery fees.
Same-day delivery has become an almost expected option among consumers with services such as Amazon Prime flooding the market, allowing customers the decision to shop across a variety of channels, including in-store, online pick-up and delivery.
Studies conducted by Deliv, which works with more than 4,000 retailers nationwide in 700 cities, found that 80% of shoppers want the same-day delivery option, while 64% of Millennials said they are more likely to make a purchase if same-day delivery is an option.
The service is expected to launch in additional markets by the end of the year, Carmeli said.