Lowe’s announced Thursday it is launching a drone delivery service in partnership with DoorDash and Alphabet’s Wing.
Speaking to reporters, the company’s CIO said the new drone delivery service will give customers access to more than 100 products within a delivery window as short as 20 minutes.
As part of the new feature, customers can order products of roughly 2.5 pounds from DoorDash within a 5-mile radius.
Seemantini Godbole, CIO and Chief AI Officer at Lowe’s, said shoppers often tell the company they realize halfway through a project that they’re missing a crucial item.
“Drone delivery fits perfectly because this was one of the friction points, like you’re doing a project, and you’re getting interrupted,” Godbole said. ”[But] you never left your home, you never left your job site, and then you just continued with the project. That’s the whole premise.”
She said the test in North Carolina is in its early stages, but if it’s successful, Lowe’s may expand the drone program.
“We wanted our tech teams to be positioned. … We literally are going to the store every day,” she said. “We are observing. We are listening to the feedback from our store associates and from DoorDash, and we could make changes as needed and be really agile, and so that’s why we started here.”
Godbole added that the drone delivery is not “technology for the sake of tech,” but rather is a move to keep up with the changing needs of the Lowe’s customer as part of the company’s overall technology strategy.
Godbole said Lowe’s distinction is being the first home improvement retailer to offer drone delivery.
Godbole said Lowe’s is working to ensure its drones meet all standards and is leaning on the expertise of both DoorDash and Wing.
The news comes as Lowe’s continues to improve its express same-day delivery and innovation for shoppers, while also incorporating AI into internal processes for store associates.
“When associates and customers are interacting with Lowe’s, I really want the technology to disappear, and I want the experience to shine through,” Godbole said. “I want them to remember the projects they are doing, the items they are buying, the fulfillment experience they got, and all our technology efforts are geared towards that.”
The drone pilot program is already live in North Carolina, with plans to expand.
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
