Walgreens says it will extend its same-day delivery service to fulfill orders around the clock.
Beginning Thursday (Dec. 1), Walgreens will fulfill orders 24 hours a day, seven days a week at nearly 400 of its 24-hour stores — an industry first, the company said in a news release provided to PYMNTS.
With Walgreens’ new option, customers can order from the chain’s website or app and get products delivered in as little as an hour, no matter the time of day. Customers can choose the closest 24-hour store to place their order, and it will be delivered if within the delivery range.
Stefaine Kruse, Walgreens vice president of digital commerce, said in the release that the program was launched out of the belief that “taking care of health and wellbeing isn’t exclusive to business hours and that needs can pop up at any time of day.”
PYMNTS spoke with Kruse earlier this year about the complexities and importance of catering to the new pharmacy consumer.
“We’ve done a lot to invest in those capabilities and think about how we become the fastest, most seamless, frictionless player from a same-day pickup and delivery standpoint,” Kruse told PYMNTS. “That’s where our physical stores and footprint played a significant role in allowing us to do that and have that coverage.”
The announcement follows October’s rollout of a guaranteed 30-minute pickup option for Walgreens customers. The pharmacy giant has offered same-day delivery since last year. The launch also comes as consumers are increasingly seeking more convenient shopping options.
As PYMNTS noted recently, shoppers still look for ways to get last-minute needs met on demand, even in a time of inflation-inspired cost-cutting. Our research has found that in May, one out of every three consumers made a purchase using a same-day delivery website such as Shipt. Most of these consumers used this option once a week or more.
This extends to the world of convenience stores as well, where companies like Circle K and 7-Eleven are increasingly focused on their delivery services.
