Brooks Running Company is betting that runners appreciate speed—especially when it comes to delivery times.
The performance footwear and apparel brand is partnering with distribution platform Locally to begin same-day delivery services in select cities, starting Aug. 22.
The service will be added to the existing delivery options already available on the brand’s e-commerce site. From there Locally will then access the inventories of local Brooks retailers and specialty running stores, allowing a retail affiliate to fulfill the order and then hand it off to one of the platform’s delivery partners, such as Postmates or Deliv.
If all goes to plan, customers in one of the brand’s 10 select markets (including Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Houston, Minneapolis, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington) will receive their packages in a matter of hours versus days.
“We built Locally to help brands and retailers work together to delight shoppers,” Locally president Mike Massey said. “We’re so excited to work with Brooks to push the platform towards its ultimate goal: true on-demand shopping with nearby in-store pickup and same-day delivery options.”
According to the brand, that “on-demand” experience may end up benefitting more than just its consumer base of dedicated runners. By using local stores to fulfill these orders, Brooks said it believes the program will help drive sales to those retailers, sustaining its distribution ecosystem while still offering consumers a faster way to enjoy its products. As the program matures, both Brooks and Locally have left the door open to expand the selection of markets that offer same-day delivery.
Locally already works with more than 200 brands and 6,000 retailers to deliver products the same day in markets across the world, but Brooks earned the distinction of being the first running brand to offer the service.
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“We know that for many runners, going for a run can depend on having the right gear on hand at any point in the day, which is why we’re thrilled to partner with Locally to offer same-day delivery in cities throughout the U.S.,” Brooks Running VP of U.S. specialty retail accounts, Rick Wilhelm, said in a release. “In addition to delivering gear to runners within 24 hours, same-day delivery will create new sales for our specialty running accounts by introducing new customers to their local stores.”
This could be a game-changer for the customers who purchase through Brooks’ e-commerce and typically wait anywhere from 10 to 14 days to receive their orders. Brooks’ website also recently published a disclaimer for visitors who wish to make purchases, warning of “significant shipping delays” and suggesting that the best way for runners to get their gear on time would be to forego the website altogether and simply “visit your nearest running store.”
To help bolster the start of its same-day shipping services, Brooks and Locally are offering free delivery promo codes to the first 1,000 customers who use the service. From then on, customers will have the option of paying a fee for the delivery, starting at $5 and increasing with the distance between the consumer and the local fulfillment point.
The brand has made a few moves this year aimed at increasing its fuldillment range and capabilities, including opening a new distribution center in Whitestown, Ind., to serve consumers in the eastern U.S.