If a shopper places an order for in-stock items by noon local time, he will receive it the same day. Additionally, members of the retailer's Ace Rewards loyalty program can receive free next-day or standard delivery for in-stock items that amount to $50 or more.

Ace Hardware Corp. doesn’t want to get left behind amid a retail environment in which a growing number of retailers are expanding their omnichannel offerings. The hardware retailer on Friday announced it is rolling out buy online, deliver from store at many of its U.S. locations. Ace Hardware did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how many of its U.S. stores will have this option available.

“There has been a tremendous consumer shift toward free and fast delivery in the marketplace,” says Bill Kiss, head of digital, retail strategy and innovation for Ace Hardware. “With 72% of U.S. households within 15 minutes of an Ace store, we are uniquely positioned to leverage that proximity to meet our customers’ home improvement needs.”

Ace Hardware is offering same-day, next-day and standard delivery options for purchases delivered from a local store. Delivery areas and delivery fees vary by each independently owned Ace store. However, if a shopper places an order for in-stock items by noon local time, he will receive it the same day. Additionally, members of the Ace Rewards program can receive free next-day or standard delivery for in-stock orders that total at least $50.

The retailer’s ecommerce site, AceHardware.com, is also offering in-store pickup and product assembly at participating stores. The product page will indicate if pickup, delivery or assembly are available from the shopper’s preferred local store. The hardware retailer’s website also allows consumers to check product availability and other services offered at their local stores.

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“In-store or online, we want Ace to be the go-to place for our customers’ home improvement needs,” Kiss says. “The new delivery options allow us to combine a hyper-convenient and high-quality shopping experience that our customers have come to expect from their local Ace Hardware.”

Ace Hardware, No. 993 in the forthcoming Internet Retailer 2019 Top 1000, is joining the ranks of fellow home improvement retailers in adding same-day delivery capabilities. For example, Home Depot Inc.—aided by delivery startups Roadie Inc. and Deliv Inc. in its top 35 metro markets—delivers online orders made before noon on the same day, starting at a delivery fee of $8.99. Lowe’s Cos. Inc. (No. 23) also has been testing same-day delivery in a few markets, but it is not widely available yet nor is it listed as a delivery option on Lowes.com.

Shoppers also are responding to these additional omnichannel options. 60% of online orders were picked up at Lowe’s in the retailer’s fourth quarter, the retailer reported, while Home Depot (No. 7) reported that 50% of online orders were picked up in its stores. That’s up from 48% during Home Depot’s third quarter, as it continues to roll out automated lockers for customers to retrieve orders and store redesigns that make order pickups quicker and easier.

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