Left to right: Brian Cornell, CEO of Target, and Bill Smith, founder and CEO of Shipt
US retail giant Target has agreed a deal to acquire Shipt, an online same-day delivery platform, for US$550m. Target will leverage its network of stores and Shipt’s proprietary technology platform to quickly bring same-day delivery to customers across the USA.
The acquisition significantly accelerates Target’s digital fulfillment efforts, bringing same-day delivery services to customers at approximately half of Target stores by early 2018. The service will be offered for the majority of Target stores, and in all major markets, before the 2018 holiday season.
At launch, Target will offer same-day delivery of groceries, essentials, home, electronics and other products, expanding the products offered over time. By the end of 2019, same-day delivery will include all major product categories at Target.
John Mulligan, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Target, said, “We laid out an ambitious strategic agenda in early 2017, which included a focus on giving our customers a number of convenient ways to shop with Target, whether it’s ordering online and picking up in one of our stores, driving up to pick up an order, or taking advantage of services like our new Restock program. With Shipt’s network of local shoppers and their current market penetration, we will move from days to hours, dramatically accelerating our ability to bring affordable same-day delivery to homes across the country. By the 2018 holiday season, we will be servicing every major market across the country with same-day delivery.”
Founded in 2014 and located in Birmingham, Alabama, Shipt is a rapidly growing membership-based grocery marketplace and same-day delivery platform. The service leverages an extensive network of more than 20,000 personal shoppers to fulfill orders from various retailers and deliver within hours in more than 72 markets.
Bill Smith, Shipt’s founder and CEO, said, “We’ll continue growing our marketplace and membership base, working with a variety of retailers to drive scale and efficiencies. We look forward to introducing Target customers to the convenience of our same-day delivery services, with the level of personal attention only Shipt can provide.”
December 14, 2017