Walgreens Will Be First Retailer in U.S. to Test On-Demand Drone Delivery Service with Wing
September 19 2019 - 1:00PM
Business Wire
Companies to pilot drone deliveries in
Christiansburg, Virginia beginning in October, bringing greater
value and unprecedented convenience to local customers
Walgreens and Wing, a member of the Alphabet family of
companies, are partnering on an industry first that will offer
unparalleled speed and convenience of “store to door” delivery of
health and wellness, food and beverage and convenience items – via
state-of-the-art drone technology – in minutes.
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Walgreens will be the first retailer in
the U.S. to test an on-demand drone delivery service with Wing in
Christiansburg, Virginia next month. Credit: Wing
Walgreens, with a heritage of innovation in pharmacy and retail,
and Wing Aviation LLC, the first drone operator certified as an air
carrier by the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this year,
will begin offering drone delivery service to eligible residents of
Christiansburg, Virginia beginning next month. The companies will
utilize the pilot program to further explore the future of health
and wellness product and retail delivery through the air, offering
product availability and home delivery minutes after placing orders
via the Wing app.
“Walgreens continues to explore partnerships to transform and
modernize our customer experience and we are proud to be the first
retailer in the U.S. to offer an on-demand commercial drone
delivery option with Wing,” said Vish Sankaran, chief innovation
officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. “With a customer-led focus,
we continue to create differentiated shopping experiences that
provide the products and services consumers need wherever, whenever
and however they may want them. This is the kind of omni-channel
partnership and offering that can redefine convenience for our
customers and communities – delivering items to homes in minutes,
not hours or days.”
Christiansburg was selected as the test market as Wing has been
working closely with nearby Virginia Tech in Blacksburg to test
drone delivery as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s
Integration Pilot Program since 2016. Although currently a pilot in
one market, Walgreens is in a unique position to capitalize on the
convenience of drone delivery if and when it should expand, with
approximately 78 percent of the U.S. population living within five
miles of a Walgreens-owned store.
The Wing partnership is a strong complement to other successful
Walgreens collaborations. As customers’ change the way they shop
and adopt new technologies, strategic partnerships like this one
help Walgreens expand its omni-channel offerings to meet the needs
of its customers’ lifestyles – whether it be a busy working mom or
a consumer with limited transportation options – and deliver
greater value, convenience and accessibility to products and
services.
How It Works
Eligible customers in the Christiansburg area will have access
to more than 100 products and six convenient “packs” via the Wing
app that include many of Walgreens most sought-after products in
store. Customers can either choose the individual products they
need or, for simplicity’s sake, choose one of the pre-built packs
in the following categories: allergy, baby, cough/cold, first aid,
pain, and kids’ snacks. Prescription deliveries are not available
via this service. The drone delivery option meets use cases where
customers may want health and wellness or food and beverage items
immediately, but leaving home is not ideal. For example:
- Parents at home with a sick child can order the “baby pack”
with items such as baby aspirin, water and more to nurse their
little one back to health while never having to leave their
side.
- Those with a common cold or flu can avoid spreading germs to
others by ordering the “cough/cold pack” with a variety of cough
and cold products needed to get healthy.
- No car? No problem. Walgreens now delivers what you need, when
you want it, direct to your door via the Wing app.
What Customers Can Expect
Over the coming weeks, Wing and Walgreens will be reaching out
to Christiansburg residents to provide additional information about
the new offering. The companies will also be hosting a drone
delivery demonstration for community members later this month. Area
residents interested in registering or learning more about the
pilot program can visit wing.com/Virginia.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (walgreens.com), one of the nation's largest drugstore
chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global
pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. Approximately 8
million customers interact with Walgreens in stores and online each
day, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer
goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and
wellness services and advice. As of August 31, 2018, Walgreens
operates 9,560 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the
District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,
along with its omnichannel business, Walgreens.com. Approximately
400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider
retail clinic services.
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Molly Sheehan Phone: 224-303-8105
margaret.sheehan@walgreens.com
http://news.walgreens.com @WalgreensNews
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