Office Depot Launches Same-Day Delivery in 3 Markets

Office Depot will begin offering same-day delivery service just in time for back-to-school students and professionals alike. The office supplies retailer is partnering with Deliv, a crowdsourced, same-day delivery startup, to provide the shopping option. The service will roll out in three markets, including Atlanta and Los Angeles on Aug. 28, and in the Fort Lauderdale/Miami area on Sept. 6. Consumers can shop directly at OfficeDepot.com, scheduling same-day delivery at their convenience for items 50 pounds or fewer. Office Depot plans to add the service to an additional 10 markets by the end of the year.

Total Retail's Take: Speed is the name of the game for today's online retailers. Consumers have been conditioned — in large part by Amazon.com — to expect their online orders to arrive at their homes in two days or less, forcing retailers to adapt their supply chains to meet this demand (and keep pace with Amazon). Office Depot is shifting its business to be less reliant on its brick-and-mortar stores — the retailer announced last August that it will be closing 300 stores by the end of 2019 — and have more purchases occurring on its digital properties. In order for that initiative to be successful, the retailer will need to meet customers’ lofty expectations for a fast and easy online shopping process, including order delivery. According to studies conducted by Deliv, 80 percent of shoppers want a same-day delivery option. Office Depot is trying to tap into this growing consumer segment with this latest move.