A forgotten roll of tape or a dead battery can bring a home improvement project to a halt. Now, Lowe’s is testing a faster way to get those small essentials to customers, with drones delivering eligible orders in as little as 20 minutes.
The retailer announced Thursday that its pilot is live at a store in Matthews, North Carolina. Through a partnership with DoorDash and Alphabet-owned Wing, shoppers in the eligible delivery area can order select products through the DoorDash app. Lowe’s says it is the first home improvement retailer to offer the service.
Small Deliveries Target A Familiar Project Problem
The pilot focuses on lightweight products, including hand tools, paint products, soap, tape, batteries and all-purpose cleaner. Wing drones can currently carry orders weighing about 2.5 pounds.
That limits the size of each delivery, but it fits the problem Lowe’s wants to solve: customers discovering they lack a small item needed to finish a job.
The company described the initial selection as products that are often “easily forgotten yet critical to finishing any home improvement task.”
“At Lowe’s, our mission is to solve problems and fulfill dreams for the home,” Seemantini Godbole, Lowe’s chief information and AI officer, said in a statement.
“To achieve this mission, we’re removing friction from home improvement and making it easier for customers to enjoy their home. Any technology we implement is designed to eliminate that friction so our customers can complete their projects quickly.”
DoorDash Shows Eligible Customers The Drone Option
Customers within the service area will automatically see the drone delivery option in their DoorDash app. From there, they can browse the dedicated “Lowe’s by Drone” storefront and place a qualifying order.
However, the pilot’s reach remains local. The launch serves eligible customers around the Matthews store and builds on the drone delivery network Wing and DoorDash already operate in the Charlotte area.
Meanwhile, the service adds another option to Lowe’s existing fulfillment choices, which include in-store pickup for online purchases, curbside pickup and same-day delivery.
For this trial, the focus stays on those small supplies the retailer calls “easily forgotten yet critical to finishing any home improvement task.”
Lowe’s Expands Its Use Of Shopping Technology
The drone pilot also extends Lowe’s broader push to use technology to improve shopping and help customers complete their projects.
The company said its AI-powered Mylow customer assistant and Mylow Companion for store associates have answered more than 25 million questions since launching last year.
Now, the retailer is testing how aerial delivery can address another obstacle: getting a missing item to a customer while a project is underway.
“By piloting drone delivery, we’re addressing a real project pain point with an innovative solution that is integrated into the retail journey, giving our hometown customers next-generation fulfillment right when they need it,” Godbole said.
