7-Eleven & Postmates Add More Delivery Markets
DALLAS — 7-Eleven Inc. now offers on-demand delivery in six additional markets through its partnership with Postmates, a San Francisco-based tech and logistics company that operates a network of independent couriers. This marks 7-Eleven's second round of deployments with Postmates following an initial pilot that launched in San Francisco and Austin, Texas, in July.
Slurpee and other cold beverages are available for a Postmates delivery, which takes 35 minutes from order placement to delivery, according to the announcement. However, the average time between product pickup at a 7-Eleven store to customer delivery is only 11 minutes.
Approximately 205 7-Eleven stores in New York City, Philadelphia, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle now offer an assortment of the convenience store chain's products, from hot food and snacks to cold beverages and other convenience items. The company plans to add participating stores in these markets as Postmates expands its service.
To use the service, customers must download the Postmates app to their iOS or Android device, or use a web app operated by Postmates, and scroll through the list of retailers to select the items they want to order. Postmates coordinates the delivery from the most convenient outlet, and a nearby courier fulfills the order within the hour.
"7-Eleven's founder, Joe C. Thompson Jr., used to say 7-Eleven's mission was to 'give customers what they want, when and where they want it'," stated Raja Doddala, 7-Eleven's vice president of innovation and omnichannel strategy. "Through the modern technology that Postmates provides, we can fulfill that promise in a way we haven't done before."
The Postmates partnership is one of multiple ventures into the on-demand economy and plays a role in 7-Eleven's omnichannel strategy to provide time-pressed customers solutions to their everyday needs, the company said.
"Through our partnership with Postmates, 7-Eleven's reach extends beyond stores' four walls. The program works well for us because it appeals to our customers who are more on-the-go, connected 24/7 and prefer fast-paced, urban living," Doddala said. "Postmates has figured out how to keep the Slurpee drinks cold and the Big Bites hot."
"By partnering with 7-Eleven, we are able to offer both 7-Eleven and Postmates customers access to groceries, fresh food and other goods across all markets that our companies are both operating in." said Holger Luedorf, Postmates senior vice president. "In providing 7-Eleven with a digital storefront and giving its team access to our fleet of more than 12,000 Postmates couriers, we are making the experience even more convenient for our joint customers."