Speaking at the company's earnings call on 24/2, Billy Bastek, Vice President of Merchandising, stated that the new feature applies to all large products, including home appliances and construction lumber. According to him, the system provides customers with clear progress updates and estimated delivery times.
To implement this feature, Home Depot's driver teams have started using handheld devices during deliveries. These devices allow for real-time order status updates and recording customer needs, according to Jordan Broggi, Vice President of Customer Experience and President of E-commerce for the company.
"This feature provides customers with transparency and peace of mind regarding their delivery times," Bastek said. "By reducing interruptions in the shopping experience, we have observed increased customer engagement, which in turn drives sales across various touchpoints."
Previously, Home Depot customers were accustomed to tracking smaller online orders. Extending this capability to larger items like home appliance deliveries or lumber shipments to job sites is expected to yield positive results.
A 2022 survey by delivery software firm DispatchTrack indicated that 41% of consumers want to know the exact real-time location of their bulky orders, while 50% simply need general updates on delivery progress.
Driver tools are a key solution for businesses to enhance delivery visibility. Some applications can record "digital footprints" and create timestamps at each stage of the shipping process.
The addition of delivery tracking marks another upgrade in Home Depot's logistics improvements. The company is accelerating delivery speeds and expanding its range of products available for quick delivery. Over the past eight years, the company has added nearly 200 warehouse facilities and implemented an "optimal delivery location" algorithm to select the most efficient shipping method.
Home Depot is a home improvement retail giant, founded in 1978 in Atlanta, My. Initially, the company opened two "big-box" stores offering a wide range of do-it-yourself (DIY) products and building materials. It rapidly expanded due to its large warehouse scale and expert consultation services for customers. Currently, the corporation operates over 2,300 stores across My, Canada, and Mexico, providing millions of items from tools and building materials to home appliances and interior decor. The company also integrates its online channel with delivery and installation services, catering to both individual customers and professional contractors.
The Dan (according to Supply Chain Dive)
