DoorDash has introduced Package Pickup, allowing consumers across the country to have the service deliver up to five return items per trip to UPS, FedEx or the USPS. DoorDash will charge a flat fee of $5 ($3 for DashPass members), and shoppers will get their first package pickup for free during January 2023, traditionally a heavy month for post-holiday returns.
Consumers can attach prepaid shipping labels to their returns or send a shipping QR code directly to their “Dasher” via the DoorDash app. Dashers will send confirmation photos to consumers when they drop off the items at the designated store.
“We are excited to introduce Package Pickup as a seamless and efficient offering for those looking to make returns during the busy post-holiday season and throughout the year,” said Gagan Gupta, Product Manager at DoorDash in a statement. “The extensibility of our platform allows us to power all local commerce and local delivery needs, with this newest offering enabling us to meet time-starved shoppers wherever they are.”
Returns represent a major challenge to the retail and logistics industries: NRF statistics show that of the $4.86 trillion sold by U.S. retailers in 2022, $816 billion, or 16.5%, was returned.
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At-home return pickup offerings are relatively rare, although beginning in October 2022, Walmart+ members could schedule home pickups of items they wanted to return. In December 2022, Staples joined a growing list of brick-and-mortar retailers accepting Amazon returns in their stores, including Kohl’s, Rite Aid, UPS Stores and more than 500 Whole Foods locations.
Since Q2 2021, DoorDash has been aggressively expanding its reach via delivery deals with a wide range of retailers, including Rite Aid, Dollar General, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Tractor Supply and Kroger.
