As Amazon continues to encroach on the office supply market and offers speedy service in a growing number of urban markets, Office Depot is launching same-day delivery on Aug. 28 in Atlanta and Los Angeles, California, followed by Miami/Ft. Lauderdale on Sept. 6.
The service will be provided by partner Deliv, known for working with mall-based retailers like Macy’s, Best Buy and Foot Locker using its collection point model to consolidate orders and save on costs. Office Depot plans to roll out the service to “several additional markets” by the end of the year.
Deliv’s technology enables Office Depot customers to select delivery times and locations, while also tracking their orders in real time.
Office Depot has some catching up to do. Rival and would-be merger partner Staples offers same-day delivery in Boston, Chicago, Dallas and New York, with plans to extend the service to Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.
“With our new same-day delivery and our omnichannel approach, we are utilizing our retail stores as assets and part of our supply chain to give our customers the best possible experience,” said Office Depot CEO Gerry Smith in a release.
Customers shopping on Office Depot’s website can schedule same-day delivery between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. or 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., depending on when they shop. The company is waiving the delivery fee as an introductory offer, without saying when the offer would end.
Last year Amazon was said to be considering an acquisition of Office Depot’s corporate business assets, although nothing has come of it to date.