Companies are upping the ante on shipping speeds. Both Target and Walmart boasted about increases in same-day deliveries during their earnings calls last week, while The Home Depot and Amazon rolled out new fulfillment options that get products to customers’ doors within hours of ordering.
Last week, The Home Depot launched Express Delivery to deliver orders in three hours or less, harnessing the same-day shipping from its network of more than 2,000 retail stores. Already, the company is able to deliver more than 65% of orders for in-stock parcels the same or next day, and 55% for bulky items, said evp of customer experience Jordan Broggi on the company’s second quarter earnings call.
“We’ve been working for the past couple of years on building the fastest fulfillment [in] home improvement, and that’s been a joint effort across merchandising, stores, supply chain and technology,” he said.
Meanwhile, Amazon Air announced that it’s increasing drone delivery sixfold, aiming to have the service in nearly 500 U.S. markets by the end of 2026. The service fulfills orders in as little as 30 minutes, according to a news release. The next markets to get the service include places in Georgia, Ohio, Illinois, Idaho and New York.
