What's happened
DoorDash has formalized partnerships with Macy’s, Anthropologie, The North Face, Vans and Timberland to list products on its U.S. site with delivery in under an hour. Macy’s return service will be available for a flat $7.99, with nationwide rollout planned for November. The move follows recent retail ties with Gap, Costco, Barnes & Noble and Kohl’s, as Uber Eats expands retail delivery too.
What's behind the headline?
Brief
- DoorDash is accelerating its move into retail by listing Macy’s, Anthropologie, The North Face, Vans and Timberland on its U.S. site, with delivery in as little as one hour.
- The service includes a return option via DoorDash drivers for a flat $7.99, expanding beyond earlier pilots.
- This follows similar retail partnerships with Gap, Costco, Barnes & Noble, and Kohl’s, signaling a deliberate push to diversify beyond food delivery.
What’s driving this
- The company is seeking stickiness and new demand by letting customers shop branded goods directly on its platform, capitalizing on delivery speed as a differentiator.
- Competitor Uber Eats is also expanding retail deliveries, indicating a broader industry shift toward multi-category delivery ecosystems.
Implications for readers
- Shoppers may find it more convenient to order in-store items from the DoorDash app, potentially reducing the need to visit stores for quick purchases.
- The added return flow could improve customer confidence but adds logistical complexity to the delivery network.
Forecast
- If the rollout proves successful, expect more brands to join and further expansion into apparel and home goods, with pricing and return policies shaping consumer behavior.
How we got here
DoorDash has been growing beyond restaurant delivery since its 2013 launch, adding groceries in 2020 and increasingly pursuing retail partnerships to attract more customers. Macy’s has used DoorDash for same-day orders for years, and today’s formal partnership integrates its goods directly on the DoorDash platform. A nationwide rollout of the return service is planned for November after limited testing in several markets.
Our analysis
Independent, AP News, Business Insider UK all report on DoorDash expanding retail partnerships and rolling out a nationwide return service in November. The coverage notes similar moves by Uber Eats and broadening retail collaborations.
Go deeper
- Will this push consumers to substitute in-store purchases for app-based shopping more often?
- How will DoorDash handle returns at scale without impacting delivery speeds?
- Are price dynamics for retail orders on DoorDash competitive with direct store shopping?
More on these topics
-
DoorDash - Logistics company
DoorDash Inc. is an American on-demand prepared food delivery service founded in 2013 by Stanford students Tony Xu, Stanley Tang, Andy Fang and Evan Moore.
-
Uber Eats - Online food ordering company
Uber Eats is an American online food ordering and delivery platform launched by Uber in 2014 and based in San Francisco, California.
-
Costco - Retail company
Costco Wholesale Corporation, doing business as Costco, is an American multinational corporation which operates a chain of membership-only warehouse clubs.
-
Foot Locker - Sportswear company
Foot Locker Retail, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in 28 countries.
-
San Francisco - City in California
San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco and colloquially known as The City, SF, or Frisco and San Fran, is the cultural, commercial, and financial center of Northern California.
-
Vans - Shoe manufacturing company
Vans is an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and related apparel, based in Santa Ana, California and owned by VF Corporation. The company also sponsors surf, snowboarding, BMX, and motocross teams. Since 1996, the company has been the primary s
-
The North Face, Inc. - American company featuring outdoor apparel and sportswear
The North Face is an American outdoor recreation products company. The North Face produces outdoor clothing, footwear, and related equipment. Founded in 1968 to supply climbers, the company's logo draws inspiration from Half Dome, a distinct rock formatio
-
Anthropologie - Clothing retail company
Anthropologie is an American clothing retailer operating more than 200 stores worldwide which offer an assortment of clothing, jewelry, home furniture, decoration, beauty, and gifts.