Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD)has joined the race for same-day delivery dominance, striking a deal with DoorDash (NYSE: DASH) to provide delivery of nonprescription health, convenience and wellness products. The items can be ordered through the DoorDash app or website for delivery from one of Rite Aid’s more than 2,100 locations in 17 states.
“At Rite Aid, we want our customers to have as many options as possible to shop our selection at nearby stores,” said Katie Finnegan, chief customer experience and e-commerce officer for Rite Aid. “Providing same-day delivery through DoorDash provides customers with the option to shop our full assortment of products from the convenience of their smartphones or computers, ensuring they can access Rite Aid anytime and anywhere they need to.”
Members of DashPass, which is DoorDash’s subscription service, will pay no delivery charges for the items.
More than 24,000 items are eligible for same-day delivery, including perishable items such as milk and ice cream. Over-the-counter medicines are also eligible, as are common household items such as paper towels and cleaning supplies.
“Amidst the pandemic we accelerated our momentum into new categories to address consumers’ heightened needs for access to everyday health and wellness essentials,” said Fuad Hannon, head of new verticals at DoorDash. “As we continue to expand our offerings in the convenience space, we’re thrilled to partner with Rite Aid to provide their customers with on-demand access to their favorite products and a wide selection of home essentials delivered right to their doorsteps in a matter of hours.”
The Rite Aid decision follows the announcement from its larger competitor, Walgreens (NASDAQ: WBA), which announced on-demand delivery of items through Instacart.
Following the launch of the service in Illinois, Walgreens said it would expand across southeast Florida, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington and New York City before scaling the service nationwide throughout the spring.
Walgreens has more than 8,000 stores, and more items eligible for delivery within an hour will be added over time.
“Convenience is at the core of what we do and Walgreens is thrilled to be partnering with Instacart to bring customers a simple and trusted same-day delivery option for the products they need right to their door,” said Stefanie Kruse, vice president of digital commerce and omnichannel at Walgreens. “This collaboration builds upon several other recent steps in our digital transformation to deliver health expertise to customers in new channels, which is timely given shifts in customer needs during the pandemic.”
CVS (NYSE: CVS) also offers same-day delivery of everyday items through Instacart in many markets and one- to two-day delivery in all markets.
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