JCPenney and DoorDash Launch Same-Day Delivery for the Holidays

Place orders by midday local time to secure same-day delivery in eligible markets, and enable DashPass for prioritised time windows. This holiday rite offers peace of mind as you shop, because the delivery window closes by 9 PM in many markets, with updates throughout the process.

The collaboration links JCPenney stores with DoorDash. партнери to bring shop items to the doorstep. The rollout covers hundreds of stores nationwide, with thousands of items across shopping, apparel, home, and gifts. Customers shop and place orders through the JCPenney site, select same-day delivery, and receive live status updates as DoorDash drivers approach.

To maximise efficiency, prefer items that are in stock and group them into a single order, then add to one cart to reduce trips. For a festive touch, consider quinine tonic or other seasonal beverages as part of a gift set; this helps the recipient enjoy a holiday moment during the delivery window. If you want to coordinate family gifts, schedule a quick meeting to align on delivery times, and share the plan via your chat thread so there are no surprises along the way.

Across the year, this collaboration helps each retailer and DoorDash extend reach while customers save time. DoorDash drivers deliver items to homes within hours, with a growing demand for efficient service as shopping expands into late afternoon and evening. Richard, vice president of partnerships at JCPenney, notes that the programme targets reliable delivery for major holidays and continues to evolve with customer feedback and coverage from partners.

For consumers, practical takeaway: check postcode coverage, plan ahead, and choose a delivery window that fits your schedule. By coordinating with JCPenney and DoorDash, you can keep the holiday shopping experience smooth throughout the season and beyond, reducing stress and making gifting easier after busy shopping days.

JCPenney and DoorDash Holiday Same-Day Delivery: A Practical Implementation Plan

Launch a 6-week pilot in 20 Penneys stores across three markets, offering two-hour same-day windows (3-5 pm and 6-8 pm) to capture peak holiday demand, using the DoorDash network and DashPass incentives to lift orders and pound value.

1. Scope and targets
   • Stores: 20 Penneys locations across three markets; target 1,000 deliveries per week at peak season.
   • Time windows: 3-5 pm and 6-8 pm to align with after-work shopping and home routines.
   • Economics: average order value around £40; expected margin per delivery above category costs.
   • Product mix: prioritise popular holiday items, shoes, apparel, home goods; ensure at least 25% of orders include footwear or home accents.
2. Technology and data integration
   • Connect JCPenney POS, inventory, and e-commerce with DoorDash's order routing for real-time availability.
   • Enable seamless same-day status updates and ETA tracking in the customer app to improve trust.
   • Use DashPass incentives to boost adoption and drive incremental shopping value without increasing delivery costs.
3. Fulfilment and store operations
   • Image-grade packaging and labelling to protect items, including footwear and other fragile goods, following right-based packaging guidelines to ensure safety and consistency.
   • Train shop floor staff in 20-minute micro-skills sessions for order picking, packing, and handoff to couriers.
   • Create dedicated pick paths per store to reduce cross-aisle travel and shorten hourly deliveries.
4. Customer experience and accessibility
   • Offer contactless delivery with secure handoff and in-app receipts for proof of delivery.
   • Highlight available products in the shops and provide accessible product details for online shoppers.
   • Promote DashPass offers to build trust and encourage repeat orders during other holiday shopping opportunities.
5. Measurement, governance, and iteration
   • KPIs: on-time deliveries, order accuracy, customer satisfaction, average order value, and cost per delivery.
   • Frequency: weekly reviews led by Johnston with cross-functional teams to adjust routing and inventory signals.
   • Source: source: internal data; adjust thresholds by market to maximise value and minimise waste.
6. Risk mitigation and scaling
   • Monitor bankruptcy risk triggers and keep the programme lean in weaker markets; reallocate to growing markets quickly.
   • Test alternative delivery windows if demand surges during specific hours; ensure stable service levels across stores.
7. Roll-out plan and timeline
   • Week 1-2: integration, training, and pilot kickoff; Week 3-5: optimisation and scale monitoring; Week 6: decision on expansion or next phase.
8. Product and channel alignment
   • Coordinate with merch and sourcing to keep stock available for home, footwear, and other popular products; align online shop experiences with in-store assortments.
   • Align marketing messages to emphasise same-day value and competitive pricing, using the Penney's and DoorDash partnership as a single source of trust.
   • Track customer preferences to refine assortments for growing holiday demand and to boost pound per order.
9. Team and governance
   • Johnston leads the cross-functional pilot team with Doordash counterparts to ensure quick decision cycles and transparent reporting.
   • Encompass shop operations, e-commerce, supply chain, and finance for ongoing optimisation and risk checks.

JCPenney–DoorDash Same-Day Delivery Rollout: Market Coverage, Fulfilment, and Brand Strategy

Launch a 30-store pilot in 15 markets to validate 60–90 minute same-day delivery for your Christmas orders, with a promo that rewards in-home shopping and encourages cross-channel pickup when feasible.

Map market coverage to reach roughly half of urban households within five kilometres of a participating store, prioritising dense corridors and major shopping centres. By year-end, expand to 60 per cent of target metros and monitor progress throughout the holiday season. Compare footprints with Walmart to fine-tune store mix and network density.

The fulfilment relies on the DoorDash network, with two lanes: in-store fulfilment for orders placed before cut-off and on-demand delivery for later slots. Ensure tight POS integration, real-time order updates, and smooth handoffs between store teams and drivers. Richard from DoorDash will oversee the integration with your stores, coordinating training across their operations. The cadence should balance speed with accuracy, like quinine in tonic.

Brand strategy centres on preserving JCPenney’s tone while leveraging DoorDash’s reach. Introduce co-branded promo banners and highlight offerings across home, apparel, and seasonal assortments. Ensure consistent messaging across online, in-app, and in-store touchpoints throughout the omnichannel experience, especially during holiday campaigns and carnivals.

Track on-time delivery rate, order accuracy, valid orders, promo redemption, average order value, and cancellation rate. Use dashboards that drill into markets, time windows, and carrier performance, with weekly reviews to adjust coverage during peak periods and high-traffic shopping days. This approach keeps your customer promise intact during the introduction and beyond, reinforcing the partnership for the holiday shopping season.

Which markets are included for holiday same-day delivery?

Check the Doordash app to confirm holiday same-day delivery is available in your area. The rollout targets major metros nationwide, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Seattle, with surrounding suburbs eligible on select days. Orders placed by a cutoff time arrive the same day, giving shoppers a reliable option to complete shopping without a trip to the shops. The marketplace blends JCPenney inventory with Doordash drivers to deliver directly to your door, often within two to four hours on peak days; look for the promo banner at checkout to save on your first order.

After launch, expect more markets to join as capacity expands. The partnership prioritises high-traffic corridors and neighbourhoods where shoppers expect fast delivery, while the business monitors performance and avoids gaps that could close service windows. adams and richard teams track ETA, adjust routes, and keep their trust by reporting real-time updates. If you shop at walmart or target, you’ll see inventory sync across channels, with shipments coordinated through shipt and doordashs to bring orders to your home. salon and other small-business shoppers can also offer pick-up friendly options, bringing added convenience to your holiday shopping.

What product categories qualify for same-day delivery (including JC Penney and Shoe Carnival footwear)?

Same-day delivery covers apparel, footwear, home goods, beauty, jewellery, toys, and kitchen items, with Pennys footwear from JC Penney and select Shoe Carnival styles qualifying when in-store stock is synced to the Doordash marketplace. This setup offers thousands of eligible SKUs that let you receive items in hours rather than days, which is especially valuable during the holiday rush. Richard, Adams, and Simon from merchandising note that the blend reflects design considerations with salon-quality beauty options and accessible footwear.

Which categories qualify for same-day delivery? Footwear for men, women and kids; apparel and outerwear; accessories such as bags, belts and hats; homeware like bedding and kitchenware; beauty products including salon-quality skincare and cosmetics; jewellery and watches; toys and games; and select small electronics and kitchen gadgets.

How it works: when you shop at participating retailers, the DoorDash marketplace matches your cart to a nearby Dasher. If the item is in stock, you receive it in a few hours. DashPass members may see reduced delivery fees or waived service charges during peak seasons. Richard, Adams, and Simon from merchandising note that the mix balances design with salon-quality beauty and accessible footwear.

Shopping tips: use the doordash app to filter for ‘same-day’ delivery, check stock at nearby Penneys and Shoe Carnival locations, and place orders before the cut-off to ensure timely arrival. Look for valid promotions and dashpass savings, and plan with your budget in mind, noting that pound values can range from a few quid to several hundred for premium footwear during peak periods.

Market data and practical takeaways: the DoorDash network includes thousands of partners, providing broad selection with trusted delivery. This introduction, announced this year, aims to strengthen the retailer’s competitive edge and build trust with shoppers during the holiday year.

What are the delivery windows, cut-offs and fulfilment steps?

Place orders by 2pm local time to lock in same-day delivery for most holiday needs. If you’re targeting a gift to arrive on a specific date, push to the early window and confirm with the store that an item is holiday-ready. This keeps shoppers satisfied and your business running smoothly.

The digital workflow provides real-time updates to shoppers and stores, preserving value with every pound spent and helping you keep offerings competitive during peak season. The following sections outline concrete windows, cut-offs, and fulfilment steps you can rely on during the holidays.

Delivery windows

• Two primary windows in most markets: 9:00–13:00 and 14:00–18:00 local time.
• Selected markets offer a late window: 6 PM–9 PM, especially for gifts and festive essentials.
• Some rural or targeted venues may show morning-only or afternoon-only options; confirm in-app before placing the order.
• Shoppers can choose kerbside or in-store pickup when a delivery slot isn’t available in a given area.

Cut-offs

• General cutoff is 2pm local time on the day of delivery; orders after this time may not qualify for same-day service.
• In high-demand markets during peak holiday periods, cut-offs can shift earlier, around 1pm.
• Items with restrictions (bulky furniture, certain gifts) may be excluded from same-day delivery.
• Gift wrapping or special handling adds 15–30 minutes of processing time; please factor this in at checkout.

Fulfilment steps

1. Shop: On the product page, select same-day delivery if eligible; verify holiday offerings are in stock and note any pound limits for the order total.
2. Confirm: Enter the delivery address and preferred window; the digital checkout shows a live status and confirms the partner options, such as DoorDash or Shipt, for the chosen market.
3. Prepare: Store staff select items, scan them, and prep for handoff to the delivery partner; ensure fragile gifts are securely packaged to protect during transit. This phase, guided by trusted partners, keeps offerings reliable and competitive.
4. Dispatch: A DoorDash driver or a Shipt partner is assigned; the app coordinates pick-up from the shop and routes to the shopper, with real-time updates for both sender and recipient.
5. Delivery: The driver delivers within the selected window; the recipient confirms receipt via the app. If delivery can’t occur as planned, the system suggests an alternative window or a retry slot within the same day.
6. Post-delivery: The platform gathers feedback to improve future windows and service levels; executives like Richard Adams (Vice President, Partnerships) and Simon (Product Lead) review general metrics to keep offerings competitive and meet shopper needs. The faith in reliability shown by shoppers brings repeat business and strengthens the holiday rite for many families.

Additional notes

• Only items labelled as same-day eligible appear in the option set; check the product tile for eligibility.
• In markets with multiple partners, ShipT and other networks may be used alongside DoorDash; the shopper can see availability at checkout.
• To support better planning, communicate expectations clearly in the introduction of your Christmas shopping flow and keep communication concise for busy shoppers.

Source: Official release

What are the fees, service levels, and holiday promotions?

Select the DoorDash same-day option for the majority of your holiday orders, aiming for a 2–4 hour window and applying seasonal promos to cut costs. For your seasonal shopping, a £25–£50 cart often qualifies for reduced or waived fees under holiday schemes, and the partnership between JCPenney and DoorDash smooths the delivery process. Their programme design prioritises reliability during peak season.

In general, the fee breakdown includes a delivery fee, service fee, and occasional surcharges for small orders or peak times. Delivery fees typically run from £3.99 to £7.99, service fees around 8–12% of the subtotal, and a small-order fee may apply if an order falls below the minimum. Seasonal programmes and promotions like DashPass or retailer promotions can reduce or waive delivery fees. Check the banner before checkout, as exact numbers vary by location and season.

Service levels emphasise convenience: real-time tracking, ETA updates, contactless handoff, and flexible substitutions. Trust grows with on-time deliveries across years of growing volumes. Retailer partners prefer predictable windows, and the programme design supports your business by giving you visibility into status and driver performance. Your deliveries stay competitive over time thanks to time-aware routing and proactive issue handling.

Holiday promotions are part of a genuine partnership between JCPenney and DoorDash. Promotions include free delivery over thresholds, seasonal discounts on popular categories, and time-slot specials during peak days. For retailers, a clear programme that shows which orders qualify, how to redeem, and when deliveries arrive improves trust and convenience for your customers. If bankruptcy risk concerns some partners, the stability of a consistent same-day programme can help your business during the season and stay competitive over the years.

How can store design-driven strategies build trust and brand loyalty during the holidays?

Adopt a unified omnichannel storefront that aligns in-store design with online visuals to deliver an accessible, cohesive experience that earns trust and keeps shoppers coming back during the holidays.

Keep offerings clearly signposted and organised into intuitive zones – home, shoe, and apparel – so consumers can find what they want in minutes, not hours, reducing friction and supporting thousands of visits across years of holiday shopping.

Offer a same-day programme with easy pickup and instant fulfilment status, tying convenience to loyalty. A pound saved on shipping becomes a reason to prefer your store over others and to engage again during peak hours.

Incorporate experiential touches–carnivals, in-store demos, and rite-of-season rituals–that humanise the space and reinforce faith in your offerings. Partnered brands and local vendors can amplify trust without overextending resources.

Use the source of feedback from thousands of consumers to refine display geometry, signage, and inventory mix, ensuring the layout remains accessible and aligned with omnichannel expectations. The Adams study signals a strong correlation between clear pathways and repeat visits over years.

The store design should also reinforce a marketplace feel, where online and in-store experiences flow together, reinforcing your following and making it easy for consumers to choose your offerings again and again.