Walgreens Picks Postmates For On-Demand Delivery

Walgreens has launched a partnership with Postmates to debut a same-day delivery service with a flat fee of $4.99, TechCrunch reported Tuesday (Sept. 15). The two companies have had a relationship wherein Postmates has always delivered items from the drug store giant, but this marks an expansion, as Postmates will now sally forth to bring the full roster of Walgreens’ offerings.

[bctt tweet=”Postmates will now sally forth to bring the full roster of Walgreens’ offerings.”]

Initially, the delivery service will be tied to 600 Walgreens, which is also known as Duane Reade in some locations across the nation. In a statement detailing the partnership, Walgreens Mobile Innovation Director Joe Rago said that “we’re pleased to begin this relationship with Postmates, as we believe the convenience aspect is of value to our customers.”

TechCrunch noted that Postmates has two distinct types of partnerships. In one case, there are partners — ranging from Starbucks to Etsy — that feature delivery services within their own apps. And then there are relationships in which storefronts are located within the Postmates app, which includes Walgreens most recently and also 7-Eleven and Chipotle.

Postmates, which has been around since 2011, has been inking new deals with marquee names, especially in urban settings. As had been announced earlier this year, the company joined up with Chipotle and disclosed a New York-centered trial with fast food giant McDonald’s. The company operates in roughly two dozen markets across the United States, with an eye on profitability as a “possibility” next year — though all cylinders seem to be set on growth over the near term. By mid-year of 2015, the startup had tallied up more than 2 million deliveries, according to management. The company’s CEO said in May at a conference that money would be spent to strengthen assets (rather than simply pushing for a positive bottom line).

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