Mitre 10 has commenced a pilot program with Uber Eats, offering customers delivery of hardware products to their door in as little as 40 minutes. Early results from participating stores indicate strong uptake and promising signs of incremental growth rather than channel substitution.
One participating member has reported that the pilot has opened access to a new customer base that had not previously engaged with their store. Notably, several repeat customers have already placed more than 10 orders through the platform and are currently unknown to the business outside of the Uber Eats channel.
While on-demand delivery introduces an additional layer between the retailer and the customer, stores are already identifying ways to bridge that gap. Simple initiatives such as including a personalised note in delivery bags or encouraging customers to sign up to in-store loyalty programs, are proving effective in creating a pathway back into the physical store and building longer-term relationships.
For tradespeople in particular, the service delivers a clear value proposition. With time directly impacting profitability, the ability to have missing components or replacement tools delivered straight to a job site can prevent costly downtime. Rather than leaving a project to visit a hardware store, trades can keep work moving with minimal disruption.
The pilot also improves access for customers purchasing bulky or heavy items such as mulch or soil. For those unable to lift large bags in and out of vehicles, on-demand delivery provides a practical alternative and removes a common barrier to purchase.
This trial highlights how convenience-led solutions, already proven in other retail sectors, can be successfully adapted to hardware. It is encouraging to see innovation across the industry, with retailers testing new models that respond to changing customer expectations while creating opportunities for growth.
As the pilot continues, learnings around customer engagement, conversion back to store, and operational efficiency will be valuable for the broader independent hardware sector.
