DoorDash unveiled its new service for returns, along with other new app features and retail partners using its marketplace on Sept. 29 at its Dash Forward event in San Francisco.
The last-mile delivery app, which recently added Costco deliveries in the U.S. and joined Lowe’s and Wing to pilot drone delivery, also showed off its own DoorDash Air drone at the event — though Air was announced for early use with its food delivery partners Chipotle and Popeyes.
DoorDash CEO and co-founder Tony Xu appeared on stage to discuss the company’s latest moves. Xu was joined by other DoorDash executives, as well as representatives from Macy’s, Chipotle and Popeyes.
Dasher Returns is currently launching in a limited number of cities, with a nationwide rollout planned for November, according to DoorDash.
How will DoorDash’s Dasher Returns work?
“Starting today, we’re launching Dasher Returns,” said Shanna Prevé, chief revenue officer at DoorDash. “For a flat fee, DoorDash will come to your home, pick up your return, and take it back to the store for you.”
Prevé walked through a use case with an order from Gap as an example, demonstrating that a return request can be placed right away or scheduled. After someone accepts the request, they pick up the item and take it back to the merchant’s physical store.
“Because that inventory goes back on the shelves today, Gap has a chance to resell it to another mom, and I get my refund in days, not weeks,” she stated.
Prevé called the experience “the return experience I wish I always had.” The company expects to make 80% of the retail orders it handles eligible for Dasher Returns by the end of 2026.
Shanna Prevé, chief revenue officer at DoorDash, speaking at the Dash Forward event in San Francisco. | Image credit: Digital Commerce 360
New retailers in the DoorDash app
DoorDash operates its own marketplace within its app for retailers, whose products are searchable and often available for same-day delivery.
“There are more than 200,000 retailers and grocers available across Deliveroo, DoorDash and Bolt,” Prevé shared, naming two of DoorDash’s other platforms. “Every single one of these retailers has decided a customer shouldn’t have to choose between getting something fast and getting it from a brand they trust.”
The company named five new brands set to appear in the app.
“Today, we are adding to that list of brands with some of my favorites, including Anthropologie, North Face, Timberland, Vans and Macy’s,” she said.
Prevé welcomed Josh Janos, vice president of marketplaces and digital partnerships at Macy’s, to the stage, to discuss the department store’s decision to sell through DoorDash. Macy’s previously began working with DoorDash as a white-label same-day and next-day fulfillment service in 2020, using it for orders made through Macys.com, Macy’s mobile app and Bloomingdales.com.
“Now, today we are announcing that the Macy’s catalog will be available from within the DoorDash Marketplace app,” Janos said.
Together, the companies also announced that DoorDash would be participating in the 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 26 in New York City.
Macy’s ranks No. 17 in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 2000 Database. The market research tool ranks the largest North American online retailers by their annual ecommerce sales.
DoorDash drone on display at Dash Forward event in San Francisco. | Image credit: Digital Commerce 360
AI tools and drone delivery
In addition to Dasher Returns, DoorDash detailed other new launches for customers and delivery workers on its platform. Those included:
- DoorDash MCP for corporate ordering, connecting AI agents to DoorDash’s system
- Text DoorDash, a system for ordering from DoorDash through text messages, currently open to users through a waitlist
- Ask DoorDash, a conversational interface for shoppers
- DashBuddy, a text-based SMS chatbot for delivery workers, which it refers to as Dashers, using the platform
- DoorDash Air, which is entering use for some Chipotle and Popeyes food orders
Last, Stanley Tang, chief product officer and co-founder at DoorDash, offered an update on the company’s Dot delivery robots. The wheeled units debuted a year ago and have since continued to increase workloads. The robots currently traverse roads, bike lanes and sidewalks to complete orders.
“Today, Dot is scaling, making deliveries for over 2,000 store locations across Greater Phoenix, from local restaurants — like Grove and Real Cafe — to national chains like Little Caesars,” Tang said. “Each Dot is completing three times the number of deliveries compared to last year.”
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