Crowdsourced delivery provider Deliv has acquired WeDeliver, a company providing same-day delivery to local merchants in Chicago, allowing Deliv to broaden and deepen its footprint there while tapping into the local merchant market nationwide.
Deliv, which provides same-day delivery services for more than 250 national retailers, including Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Williams-Sonoma and Foot Locker, has drivers pick up orders at mall collection points. It has partnerships with the country’s six largest mall operators, all of whom have an ownership stake. The company claims it has seen 800% organic growth in volume in the first six months of this year compared to 2014.
Other markets where Deliv has a presence include San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, northern New Jersey and Washington, DC.
Deliv founder and CEO Daphne Carmelli said the acquisition was more opportunistic than planned, adding there was great alignment between the two companies’ business models in that both just do pure delivery and are completely removed from purchase transactions.
“It’s a natural fit for us,” said Carmelli, who was in Chicago this week to meet with WeDeliver staff and clients, including Trunk Club. “This is one of our core markets, and WeDeliver is by far the leading player there. It gives us an ability to get further concentration there. With more volume and consolidation, it’s a great opportunity for us.”
WeDeliver founder and CEO Jimmy Odom will stay onboard in Chicago and oversee the growth and expansion of the company’s local merchant business nationwide. This brings a new area of focus for Deliv, which has been more concentrated in the large retailer space.
In addition to its pure delivery approach, Deliv says it also differentiates from a crowded field by integrating with retail POS systems, giving shoppers the option for same-day delivery at checkout. It also integrates with client’s ecommerce systems, including Macy’s.