Sephora continues to expand same-day delivery to customers’ doors, providing service in as little as an hour thanks to a new partnership with delivery service Shipt, which is owned by Target. The major beauty retailer already has a same-day delivery partnership with Instacart, on top of its own Beauty on Demand service.
Do you want a latte with that toy your kid didn’t like? Target said it is offering curbside returns in select markets starting this fall, as well as the opportunity to grab a Starbucks beverage while you’re at it. The red target retailer said customers can use the Target app to set up a curbside return and/or grab a caffeinated drink.
Veho, a startup whose software matches demand to crowdsourced drivers and handles deliveries and returns out of its own warehouses, has raised another $170 million to reach a $1.5 billion valuation, just two months after its last $125 million round made it a unicorn. The company plans to expand to national coverage in 2022.
Conventional grocers saw a nearly 7% drop in e-grocery sales on a same-store basis during the 12 weeks ending Sept. 28, 2021, according to a new report from Brick Meets Click, due to a 3.1% decrease in orders combined with AOV dropping nearly 4% as the pandemic effect lessened.
Nearly all retailers plan to offer same-day delivery by 2025, compared to just 35% today, according to a survey conducted by last-mile delivery platform Bringg. The December survey of 500 retailers from the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany, France and Italy found 99% of respondents planned to offer same-day in the next three years.
In another front of their ever-escalating war, Walmart is quadrupling its in-home grocery delivery service as Amazon continues to step it up as well, both doubling down despite concerns that linger among consumers related to COVID-19 and the omicron variant spike.
Opting for full third-party delivery for grocers came with many short-term advantages, allowing them to offer e-grocery solutions overnight. But this lucrative solution may not be sustainable for grocers who intend to make online an important part of their business. Owning the full omnichannel experience pays long-term dividends.
In a bid to grab more last-minute shoppers looking for convenience, J.C. Penney and Shoe Carnival have partnered with DoorDash to offer same-day delivery of online orders. DoorDash, Instacart, Postmates and Uber, initially growing through grocery and restaurant, have been expanding aggressively into general retail.
Utilizing a team of employees vs. its bread-and-butter gig workers, DoorDash is rolling out 10-15-minute delivery of 2,000 grocery and essential items in New York from a DashMart store in the Chelsea neighborhood, the company said. Main rival Instacart is also working on a 15-minute delivery service, according to reports.
Boxed, a seller of subscription bulk CPG items through its automated facilities that competes with Costco, BJ’s Wholesale and Sam’s Club, is expanding into fresh, on-demand grocery delivery with the acquisition of New York-based MaxDelivery. The company plans to leverage MaxDelivery’s high AOV model into other markets in 2022.