Walgreens expands 24-hour, same-day delivery

Drug store giant Walgreens has launched 24/7 same-day delivery in markets nationwide through Walgreens.com and the Walgreens mobile app.

The Deerfield, Illinois-based chain said Thursday that it’s the first health-and-wellness retailer to provide 24-hours-a-day, on-demand delivery via its website and app. Through the service, customers can order from more than 27,000 convenience-focused items—from groceries, snacks and beverages to over-the-counter medications, personal care products and household staples—and have them delivered to their doorstep in as soon as an hour.

Walgreens 24-Hour Same Day Delivery is available for orders of $35 or more from nearly 400 round-the-clock stores across the country. Upon visiting Walgreens.com/SameDayDelivery or opening the Walgreens app, customers select the closest 24-hour location to place their order, and it will be fulfilled if in delivery range, Walgreens said. Members of the myWalgreens free loyalty program also can earn and redeem Walgreens Cash rewards and use personalized digital coupons and saving offers through the 24-hour service.

In support of the service launch, Walgreens is offering customers free delivery on orders of $20 or more through Dec. 10 by using the code NOW20.

Currently, Walgreens 24-Hour Same Day Delivery is available through almost 400 round-the-clock stores in selected markets nationwide. / Photo: Walgreens

“Walgreens knows that taking care of health and well-being isn’t exclusive to business hours and that needs can pop up at any time of day. That’s why we’re always looking for ways to enhance the customer experience with convenient and trusted solutions,” Stefanie Kruse, group vice president of digital commerce at Walgreens, said in a statement. “As the place customers turn to for their last-minute needs, we know they will find value in being able to access the items they need most, no matter the hour, right to their door.”

Walgreens noted that the 24-hour service expansion reflects its ongoing efforts to boost online shopping convenience. In November 2020, the pharmacy retailer launched 30-minute pickup in stores, curbside and via drive-thru windows, followed by the kickoff of same-day delivery in as soon as one hour in May 2021.

Currently, a 30-Minute Pickup Guarantee—covering the cost of shoppers’ baskets if the order isn’t ready within that time frame—is being piloted in New Mexico, Oklahoma and selected markets in Texas markets, Walgreens said.

In addition, Walgreens offers same-day prescription delivery via Walgreens.com/PrescriptionDelivery, the Walgreens app or by calling their local store. Patients may enroll for text alerts that notify them when their scripts are ready. Delivery fees vary by location.

Convenience-driven delivery has steadily gained traction among online shoppers seeking staple items and last-minute necessities on the spot. In September 2021, Walgreens was among a group of retailers—including Kroger, 7-Eleven, CVS Pharmacy, Rite Aid and Safeway—to offer 24/7 delivery through the Convenience Hub, a new product experience on the Instacart Marketplace. With the service, Instacart also extended hours for retailers that aren’t open 24 hours a day but operate until later at night or early in the morning.

Besides Instacart, Walgreens also partners with DoorDash, Postmates, Uber Eats and Shipt for on-demand delivery service. In late October, Walgreens and DoorDash teamed up to provide free prescription delivery for Pfizer’s Paxlovid, a COVID-19 antiviral medication to help treat mild-to-moderate cases of infection in certain patients at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19.