Dive Brief:
- Lowe's has launched a drone delivery pilot at a North Carolina store in partnership with DoorDash and Alphabet's Wing, the home improvement retailer announced Thursday.
- Eligible customers near the store in Matthews, a Charlotte suburb, can order products through the DoorDash app and select drone delivery via Wing as an option. Wing drones can transport orders weighing about 2.5 pounds per flight, and deliveries are made in as fast as 20 minutes from the store, according to Lowe's.
- More than 100 SKUs are available for delivery in the pilot — including screwdrivers, painter's tape and caulk — to help reduce extra store runs that can slow a home improvement project, Rajiv Raghunathan, Lowe's VP of technology for stores, told Supply Chain Dive in an email. The program could expand to additional stores in the future, Raghunathan added.
Dive Insight:
Drone delivery options are growing across the U.S. as businesses push to accelerate shipping speeds and improve customer convenience. Walmart — which also uses Wing drones — and Amazon are front and center in this trend, with the retail giants announcing major expansions to their existing programs this year. Restaurants like Little Caesars are also tapping into drone delivery.
In the home improvement space, drone delivery can help reduce friction and enable customers to complete their projects quickly, Seemantini Godbole, chief information and AI officer at Lowe’s, said in a press release.
“By piloting drone delivery, we’re addressing a real project pain point with an innovative solution that is integrated into the retail journey, giving our hometown customers next-generation fulfillment right when they need it," Godbole said.
The drone delivery launch builds upon efforts by home improvement retailers to expand their fast shipping offerings. Lowe's also offers other fast fulfillment options such as curbside pickup and same-day delivery in select ZIP codes. Rival The Home Depot announced last month it is offering a three-hours-or-less express delivery option nationwide, building upon its push to boost customer satisfaction.
