Bunnings announces game-changing same day delivery move

Everyone is well-acquainted with multiple trips to Bunnings for forgotten items, but a new venture with Uber may change everything.

Visiting the same Bunnings three or four times in a single day to buy obscure supplies you forgot the first couple of trips is a well-established Australian rite of passage.

Whether you’re a tradie on a job site being chewed out by your boss for forgetting that niche cut of timber, or a kid helping dad bodge that home job he is wildly unqualified to complete, virtually everyone has endured that quiet car ride back to Australia’s favourite hardware store.

Now Bunnings is answering punter’s prayers over Christmas, teaming up with rideshare and courier service Uber, to equip over 100 regional and metropolitan stores with same day parcel delivery.

Bunnings has become the latest retailer to implement same-day delivery services over the Christmas period. NewsWire / John Appleyard

So if you’ve snapped a drill bit, or are scrambling to get a prezzie for that relative that’s impossible to buy for, any order placed by 2pm right up to December 23 will be delivered by 7pm that day.

With Australia Post Christmas delivery cut-offs set to take effect from December 20, Bunnings has joined a number of retailers introducing same-day delivery services over the holiday period.

Amazon today announced it would be tapping into the gig economy, to ensure same-day delivery for its prime customers in metro areas would run up until Sunday, two days longer than Australia Post.

The Bunnings service offering will operate via the Uber delivery network, and will run you a flat fee of $15 for any purchases on the Bunnings website. The caveat for its regional outlets is that the same-day guarantee is subject to geographical limits, a radius of 15 kilometres from any store.

Uber Direct will be using its network to provide the service in the first phase of its partnership with Bunnings. Picture: Josh Edelson / AFP

Bunnings Chief Operating Officer, Ryan Baker emphasised the importance of customer experience.

“We’re committed to offering our customers the best experience, widest range and lowest prices, and same day parcel delivery across regional Australia is another way we can improve this offering”, he said.

“This builds on our current same day parcel delivery offering across metro Australia, bringing more convenience to our regional customers, and hopefully helping to ease some of the stress this time of year can bring.”

The move follows similar partnerships between Uber Direct, the delivery arm of the company, with hardware retailers in the US. The company expects similar positive demand in Australia to what they’ve encountered for comparable retailers in North America.

The Christmas delivery cut-off date for Australia Post is December 20, with limited express shipping services available till December 23. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

The first phase of the partnership will run as a pilot test over Christmas, but a spokesperson for Uber said: “The intent is to scale up to more stores nationally following the learnings of the initial rollout.”

Bunnings enthusiast and contract manager, Brad Bartels 39, spoke to news.com about the prospects of a Bunnings same-day delivery service being introduced more broadly.

Having spent the best part of the year renovating his apartment Mr Bartels saw the service as an exciting prospect for tradies and DIY renovators alike.

“There were quite a few times when you would snap a drill bit, and waste an hour going back two or three times, it’s frustrating,” he said. “Tradies would love to use this service, especially smaller companies. Everyone is tight on time so it’s definitely a good move.

“You don’t want to lose guys off a job site for a couple of hours running back and forth from Bunnings, so for those situations it’ll definitely be a massive asset.”

COO of Bunnings, Ryan Baker also emphasised that this service would not replace the in-store experience Aussies know and love.

Bunnings COO Ryan Baker insists this new venture will not detract from the in-store customer experience. Picture: Dean Martin

“Some customers value coming into the store to browse, talk to the team and enjoy the Bunnings experience such as a coffee in the cafe or the sausage sizzle hosted by a local community group. But for others, the convenience of delivery is preferred,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Bartels believes the service will be more suited for ‘specific needs’. “You know, everyone has had bad online shopping experiences, so I see this as a specific service when you don’t have time to run down and grab something you desperately need,” he said.

“It will have a time and a place, it’s a bit of an experience going to Bunnings, you know you have the sausage sizzle and the expert advice.”