Crowdsourced logistics company Deliv is expanding into nine new markets with a 100 city reach as it looks to meet growing consumer demand for instant gratification with mobile purchases from major retailers such as Macy’s.

Deliv now boasts one of the largest same-day delivery platforms in the United States, offering more opportunities for major retailers to team up with its services and provide their customers with the ability of purchasing items on mobile and receiving them hours later. It has also expanded its current partnerships with Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, and is including a new returns feature.

“Deliv is part of retailers’ overall ecommerce strategy as Deliv is an offering at retail checkout,” said Daphne Carmeli, CEO of Deliv, Menlo Park, CA. “As such, mobile trends mirror overall ecommerce trends.”

Quick-selling inventory
Deliv’s new markets include the New York City metropolitan area, Las Vegas, Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth, Honolulu, Boston/Cambridge, Orange County, Philadelphia and Atlanta.

Consumers living in or around these regions can expect to start using the platform at the end of August, with New York set to launch in October.

Deliv has found that consumer demand for same-day delivery is rapidly growing across retail segments. The service already counts partnerships with 250 major retailers such as Williams-Sonoma, Macy’s and Foot Locker, and will be announcing other partners later this year.

Many consumers appreciate having the ability to purchase last-minute products or gifts via their mobile devices while on-the-go, and set a designated delivery time for the items to arrive later that day.

Deliv’s feature of enabling users to choose their exact delivery time has brought the utmost convenience to time-strapped customers’ days, and has resulted in an organic growth uptick of 800 percent in the past six months, as opposed to the same time period last year.

The updated Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s partnerships are also bringing a new returns feature to customers. Shoppers in the Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Bay Area regions can visit the Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s mobile sites to authorize their desired return and choose a time for Deliv to pick it up and bring it back to the store.

This tool can greatly enhance the shopping process for many consumers, and may entice more of them to use their mobile device to purchase items if they know that returns can be made in a seamless fashion.

Competing with Amazon
A slew of ecommerce marketplaces are aiming to perfect their same-day delivery models for consumers who desire instant gratification for their purchases.

Deliv is hoping to compete with conglomerate Amazon by teaming up with a variety of omnichannel retailers, ecommerce companies and bricks-and-mortar brands. It is also transforming its partners’ thousands of store locations into local fulfillment centers to ensure that ordered items are in-stock and ready for immediate delivery.

Deliv likely resonates with customers who are fans of its specific brand partners. While Amazon does offer a plethora of items in every category, one of its pitfalls is that it may not carry all of the latest branded material from several top retailers.

Conversely, Amazon does offer a one-hour Prime Now delivery option. Shoppers on a tight deadline may be swayed to use Prime for that reason, while others with more leeway may stick with Deliv.

Amazon Prime is also expanding its mobile-enabled Prime Now service to include delivery capabilities from a slew of Manhattan eateries and grocery stores, including D’Agostino and Billy’s Bakery, as competition continues to heat up in the delivery application space (see story).

However, Deliv offers enough choices for consumers to select its platform over a competitor’s. Businesspeople will also find utility in the service, as they can easily order office supplies for immediate delivery prior to a significant meeting.

“R.B. Harrison, Macy’s, Inc. chief omnichannel officer says that ‘It is an important part of our value proposition as an omnichannel retailer serving customers who shop our stores and websites whenever, wherever and however they prefer,'” Ms. Carmeli said.

Final Take
Alex Samuely is an editorial assistant on Mobile Commerce Daily, New York