Home Depot to Look Into Same-Day Shipping Initiative in 2014

HomeDepot3--300Home Depot announced plans to offer same-day shipping due in large part to the “building out” of three additional distribution centers across the country during a investor conference on Dec. 11.

These new distribution centers, which will be located in California, Atlanta, and Ohio, according to the Wall Street Journal, are expected to open within the next two years.

During the investor call, Mark Holifield, senior vice president, Supply Chain, said the facilities will range in size from just under one-million-square-feet to one-and-a-half-million-square-feet.

“The intent of these centers is to enable same-day shipping of orders and fast deliveries to customers,” Holifield said.

All orders received by 5 p.m. will be shipped out by 8 p.m., according to Holifield. Ninety-percent of those orders will be delivered within two days.

Home Depot will also make a major investment in the warehouse management system and materials handling systems, Holifield said, “to enable fast response order picking and shipping.”

A part of this major expansion and investment in fulfillment, Home Depot also plans to add another omnichannel fulfillment option to its arsenal. Currently, Home Depot can fulfill orders with buy online return in store, buy online pick up in store, buy ship to stores initiatives. Beginning in 2014, Home Depot will begin offering buy online deliver from store.

Erin Lynch is the senior content producer at Multichannel Merchant. Erin can be reached (203)899-8461 or connect with her socially on Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn.