Want your tech delivered to your home with the same anxiety-inducing speed as your local pizza delivery guy? DoorDash said it was now working with Best Buy to offer door-to-door delivery for tech products, though your average food delivery guy might need a bigger bike if he’s to lug that massive 50-inch flatscreen over to your front door.
On Wednesday, the delivery app said users can shop for specific Best Buy products through the DoorDash marketplace app or the website. Even though some of these tech products can get a bit bigger than the average pizza box, the company is still promising shoppers will get their order in an hour or less, on average. Just don’t expect you’ll be able to buy DVDs from your local Best Buy going into 2024.
DoorDash promises users can expect in-store prices for any of their consumer tech, video games, or electronics equipment available through the app. Those users with DashPass should also be able to pay no shipping costs for some Best Buy products. Also, the delivery company is trying to promote this new tech delivery service with additional codes for $15 off their order with the code “Best 15.” DashPass subscribers can also get $25 off with “Best25” now through Dec. 5.
No matter what, you end up paying for that convenience, especially for pricier items. Categories on the page include “Computer Accessories,” “Audio Lovers,” and “Game On!.” However, if you’re going to order something with a big sticker price, just know you could end up paying hundreds of dollars in fees and tips. A $600 50-inch Samsung television would cost more than $200 in app and driver fees from a shop located about 3 miles away. Something more manageable like a Sony Dual Sense Edge controller would necessitate upwards of $30 in service fees alone, not including tax or other shipping fees.
Earlier this month, Instacart revealed a similar same-day delivery deal with Best Buy. DoorDash has already made delivery deals with Lush and Victoria’s Secret for cosmetics and clothes, plus Party City if you’ve suddenly run out of streamers and you desperately need them before your child has a tantrum. You can already order from local pharmacies, sports shops, or office supply stores through the app.
All this is an attempt to one-up Amazon’s current stranglehold on U.S. shipping and tech sales. Instead of waiting up to two days to get your laptop, DoorDash and Instacart are promising you’ll have your device in hand in a matter of hours. Of course, that’s going to include the regular fees and tips for the convenience of not needing to hoof it over to the local store.
Amazon has also tried to intrude on local businesses to speed up delivery times. The e-commerce giant has started a program to pay some small businesses to make last-mile deliveries of Amazon orders. That’s also not to mention Amazon’s attempts to speed up delivery times with drones. There will inevitably come a time when we are maxed on speed and convenience, but it still ignores the cost to delivery drivers forced to meet these constantly expanding expectations.