Taking on Amazon isn’t just Google, Wal-Mart, Macy’s, Best Buy, and others. Now pet retail leader PetSmart has dived into the competitive mix with offering Same-Day Delivery and more services this month as the holiday shopping season begins.

TechCrunch recently reported PetSmart has announced launching same-day delivery in several major US cities this month.  The cities will include Dallas, Houston, Philadelphia, Boston, New York City, Northern New Jersey, Yonkers, and Washington DC.  The new service will allow shoppers to buy food, litter, over-the-counter medicines, grooming supplies, bedding, toys, and treats.  PetSmart’s initiative makes sense as many retailers are making adjustments online to slow down Amazon, which has mounted a robust same-day program that spans 27 US markets nationwide.

Amazon’s Prime Now consists of big cities such as San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Seattle-Tacoma, Dallas-Fort Worth, New York, Boston, Chicago, Indianapolis, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Washington DC, Nashville, Raleigh, Richmond, Tucson, Atlanta, Orlando, and more.  In addition to the US, Amazon recently rolled out same-day delivery in Vancouver and Toronto.  What is making Amazon’s same-day delivery difficult to contend with is the service is free for Prime members.  This alone has compelled retailers like PetSmart to shift from traditional warehousing and focus on faster online order fulfillment.

PetSmart’s same-day service won’t be free.  It’s service fee will be $7.99, far from the cost of Amazon’s same-day delivery.  Crowdsourcing logistics provider Deliv is who PetSmart is partnering with to perform the actual deliveries in these cities.  Deliv has same-day delivery in 17 US markets, therefore, more will probably follow for PetSmart.  The more cities PetSmart can expand to, the more options it can provide its’ online customers, which is what makes last-mile delivery so attractive to today’s e-commerce consumers.

To match it’s new same-day program, PetSmart has overhauled its’ website, implementing the changes that make shopping via mobile devices easy.  Online retail is the platform which more and more shoppers are using because its’ so convenient.  From the comfort of their home of coffee shop, they can capitalize on any great deal they find online and have it shipped where they need it, instead of having to go pick it up themselves.

“Our omnichannel strategy is aimed at giving pet parents options tailored to their needs and desires,” said Eran Cohen, PetSmart’s chief customer experience officer regarding the new launch.  He went on the say, “We look forward to seeing their response to the new site with its new user experience and commerce-meets-content approach, as well as to our expanded and convenient home delivery options, which capitalize on our extensive store network for same-day and scheduled delivery”.

This is what is becoming more than just a trend for retailers and businesses.  Same-day delivery allows physical store companies to give their product more of an opportunity to sell.  Just as PetSmart has partnered with Deliv, a Same-Day Courier like 1-800 Courier can do the same for any company competing with Amazon.  They offer last-mile delivery services right away.  The Washington DC Courier has the courier base and expertise to implement same-day delivery nationwide.  1-800 Courier can help PetSmart, as well as other companies, expand this holiday season and beyond.

Reference:  11.7.16, www.techcrunch.com, Sarah Perez, PetSmart takes on Amazon with launch of same-day delivery and subscriptions