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

In light of how Amazon is making several expansions to its’ free Same-Day Delivery program, retailers are going to jump on board with the service in order to keep pace.  Best Buy saw this is what had to be done, and last year, it began a long-term plan to implement same-day delivery with rolling out service tests in San Francisco and its’ surrounding areas, in addition to Washington DC and New York.  Now the testing phase is out of the way in that area, BestBuy’s latest announcement makes a bold statement that it is ready to test same-day delivery even more and eventually take on Amazon.

Forbes.com recently reported that Best Buy has announced that it is expanding its’ testing of same-day delivery to 13 major metropolitan markets nationwide. The article stated per Best Buy, the same day delivery initiative is part of its’ ongoing commitment to improve the in-store and online shopping experience.  There is a heavier focus on online initiatives, as same-day delivery adds a level of convenience that a segment of customers are demanding that have become comfortable with online shopping.  It is also becoming more and more attractive for retailers to use the service as a way to drive traffic to their sites, as well as increase physical store traffic.

The electronic retailer has teamed up with start-up delivery company Deliv to handle the actual deliveries.  Deliv’s service is based on a crowdsourcing approach to pick up and deliver online purchases directly from BestBuy stores; they act as warehouses for Deliv to quickly fulfill online orders.  BestBuy has over 400 stores in a variety of major US cities nationwide, which positions the retailer distance-wise to provide same-day delivery on a mass scale.  With 13 metropolitan city markets to begin with, more than likely, there will be plenty more to come, especially during the holiday season.

Amazon isn’t the only driver behind Best Buy’s pursuit to increase revenue.  Forbes stated that consumer electronics has the highest online sales percentage in US retail.  According the eMarketer, computer and consumer electronics revenue from online retail sales in the US will exceed $85 billion this year.  It will also grow to over $100 billion in 2018, making it the maximum revenue generated by any US retail product category.  These figures will result in seeing more same-day delivery from Best Buy, being that it is the largest consumer electronics retailer in the US.

Trends are favoring that same-day delivery is going to continue to play a huge role in online retail.  Not only is Best Buy and Amazon engaged in last-mile deliveries, Google, Macy’s, Nordstrom’s, Whole Foods, and more are also.  A Same-Day Courier like 1-800 Courier is a viable partner for any retailer seeking to stay current with e-commerce and increase online sales.  The Washington DC Courier has a nationwide footprint and can help big companies like Best Buy thrive with same-day delivery.

Reference: 4.13.16, www.forbes.com, Trefis Team, Same Day Delivery: Best Buy’s Plan to Take On Amazon?