BJ’s becomes first wholesale club to partner with DoorDash

BJ’s Wholesale Club on Monday joined with DoorDash to offer on-demand grocery delivery from 226 BJ’s locations across 17 states, becoming the first wholesale club available on the DoorDash marketplace.

BJ’s products can now be purchased directly on the DoorDash app, offering members and non-members alike access to thousands of BJ’s items on-demand. BJ’s members can also link their wholesale club card to receive lower, member-only pricing. 

"BJ’s is proud to bring the convenience and value our members know and love to even more shoppers through the DoorDash marketplace,” said Monica Schwartz, executive vice president and chief digital officer of Westborough, Mass.-based BJ’s Wholesale Club. “We are excited to expand easy shopping solutions for our members, while also bringing BJ’s wide assortment and exclusive products to new potential members.” 

In November, BJ’s president and CEO Robert Eddy referred to the upcoming DoorDash partnership in a fiscal 2021 third quarter call with anlaysts. BJ’s has offered Instacart delivery from all clubs since the spring of 2018, he said, but the DoorDash partnership would bring BJ’s more into the mix when it comes to same-day fulfillment.

“This will be the first step towards a new model where our team members will pick all BJ’s.com orders and a stable of transportation partners make the deliveries. This vision should drive better experience and value to the member and better economics for us. Our members’ experience will be better as our team members pick with greater quality and care, driving better or accuracy. More competition also lowers prices on marketplaces,” he explained on the call.

Related:BJ’s calls 2021 ‘the best year in our history’

“Further, by having more than one [same-day delivery] partner, we can dynamically route deliveries based on a number of variables, such as service levels, speed, member ratings, cost and so on,” Eddy added. “Finally, as we will combine picking up the same day delivery orders with BOPIC and curbside orders, we will gain efficiencies in picking economics.”

According to the companies, the announcement is just the beginning of DoorDash and BJ’s strategic partnership to provide convenience, value and access for consumers across the Eastern United States. In addition to BJ's now being available for orders on DoorDash's grocery marketplace, the partnership will also enable same-day delivery from BJs.com powered by DoorDash Drive, DoorDash’s white-label fulfillment platform that powers direct delivery for any business, to help BJ’s members receive their orders directly to their home. 

Related:DoorDash extends grocery delivery reach with Southeastern Grocers partnership

In addition, DoorDash’s membership program offers members unlimited $0 delivery fees on eligible DashPass orders. DashPass members can enjoy these benefits on eligible grocery orders with a subtotal of $25 or more from BJ’s.

In celebration of the new partnership, from March 29, 2022, through April 12, 2022, DoorDash will offer customers 30% off their order of $100 or more (up to a total value of $40) for BJ’s on the marketplace.

“We see the trend towards convenience only going in one direction, with grocery delivery being no exception,” said Shanna Prevé, vice president, business development at San Francisco-based DoorDash. “We are thrilled to welcome BJ’s to the DoorDash platform as our first wholesale club on the marketplace, continuing our mission to provide consumers with the convenience and savings they crave, while empowering merchants to reach customers wherever they are.”

The partnership with BJ’s is DoorDash’s latest expansion into grocery delivery. Last month, DoorDash enlisted retail partner Albertsons Cos. for the launch of express grocery delivery service, in which customers receive their orders in 30 minutes or less. Last June, the companies announced that DoorDash would provide last-mile grocery delivery from nearly 2,000 Albertsons Cos. stores, followed up by the announcement that Albertsons would become the first grocery retailer to launch DoorDash’s DoubleDash service, which enables customers to add items from nearby merchants to their original order without being charged an extra delivery fee or subject to an order minimum.

In December, DoorDash jumped into the “ultra-fast” grocery delivery arena by offering delivery service in 15 minutes or less through a new DashMart in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. More New York City locations are planned for the service, DoorDash said.

Other retailers partnering with DoorDash over the past year include grocery chains Southeastern Grocers, Hy-Vee, Meijer and Bristol Farms, as well as convenience retailer Sheetz and Dollar General’s more than 9,000 dollar stores.