Retail Channels
20 March
Amazon, Rite Aid team up to offer 2-hour delivery
Amazon is enabling fast delivery from the drug store.

Photo by Christian Wiediger on Unsplash
Amazon is enabling fast delivery from the drug store.
Amazon is seeking to continue to grow its delivery network through a partnership with another retailer.
The news: Amazon is partnering with Rite Aid to test out two-hour delivery in a pair of markets. The service will provide delivery of personal care items in Newark, New Jersey, and Burbank, California. Shopping is completed through Amazon, and a landing page is now live.
How it works:
Key quote from Amazon: “Rite Aid’s availability on Amazon provides our local Prime members in Newark, New Jersey, and Burbank, California, with even more selection and convenience as they continue to shop for health and personal care, cosmetics and grocery essentials online and trust they will be delivered to their door fast. We’re consistently looking for ways to offer more choice, flexibility and value for Prime members, so we look forward to expanding our two-hour delivery window offering to more Rite Aid locations in the future.”
Store to door: As it continues to grow its logistics network, Amazon is increasingly working with other retailers to provide delivery services. For the ecommerce giant, this represents a business line that allows the delivery network it built for its own use to be accessed by others. It also helps to grow Amazon’s assortment, which has long been a key part of the company’s flywheel that brings advantages on price and customer loyalty. It builds on an announcement from last year, when Amazon debuted a new service that provided delivery from mall-based retailers.
Drug store + delivery: The partnership signals Amazon’s entrance into an area of retail that has not been as quick to adopt the fast delivery model. Drug stores prize their local proximity to populations, making omnichannel offerings in-store pickup a highlight of digital offerings. While they have offered ecommerce, drug stores have not built out logistics networks. This means they work with other providers. In this case, Amazon is entering the fold, signaling it sees an opening in the market. While no pharmacy delivery is available now, it wouldn't be a stretch to see the company explore this area, given its interest in expanding into healthcare via the recent acquisition of primary care service One Medical.
Convenience + time: The ever-increasing capabilities of Amazon to deliver quickly and the emergence of instant delivery services like Gopuff are raising customer expectations that items can be at their door soon after they are ordered. This is creating more demand for the everyday and convenience items available at drug stores. Some delivery providers, like Uber, are partnering with convenience stores to provide fast delivery. Amazon and Rite Aid are showing a path through the drug store. As noted above, Rite Aid’s many locations at the neighborhood-level could serve as an advantage. While the service is available in two markets now, Rite Aid has plans to expand it to more of its 2,244 locations around the country.
“Our customer-centric approach complements the busy lives of our consumers to conveniently meet them where they are, which is why we are excited to team up with Amazon to provide local Prime members convenient access to deliver everyday essentials right to their doorstep with two-hour delivery windows,” Rite Aid said in a statement.
On the Move has the latest hiring update from The Vitamin Shoppe and At Home.
Heidi O’Neill has a new role at Nike. (Courtesy photo)
This week, Unilever, Nike and BigCommerce are seeing major transitions in the executive ranks. Meanwhile, The Vitamin Shoppe named a permanent CEO, and At Home brought on a longtime Walmart executive as president.
Conny Braams. (Courtesy photo)
Consumer goods giant Unilever announced key changes in top leadership roles. These include:
Graeme Pitkethly will retire as chief financial officer, effective at the end of May 2024. The board is set to launch a formal search for his successor. Pitkethly has been with Unilever for 21 years.
Conny Braams, who serves as chief digital and commercial officer, will leave the company, effective August 2023. Braams previously held senior management roles including Executive Vice President (EVP) of Middle Europe; and EVP Foodsolutions Asia, Africa and Middle East.
Craig Williams. (Courtesy photo)
Nike, Inc. announced several key leadership changes focused on consumer-led growth and marketplace. They are as follows:
Heidi O’Neill who is currently president of consumer and marketplace, will become president of consumer, product and brand.
Craig Williams, who is currently president of the Jordan Brand, will become president of geographies and marketplace at Nike, Inc.
Matthew Friend, EVP and Chief Financial Officer at NIKE, Inc., will expand responsibilities to include procurement, global places and services and demand and supply management.
Jared Carver will serve as CEO of Converse. Over the last four years, he served as VP/GM of North America for Converse.
Scott Uzzell, the previous CEO of Converse, transitioned to a new role as VP/GM, North America for Nike, Inc.
“These shifts will allow us to streamline our focus across product, brand storytelling and marketplace, mining deep consumer insights to deliver breakthrough innovation and engagement, while building long-term growth and profitability,” said Nike CEO John Donahoe, in a statement.
Lee Wright. (Courtesy photo)
Lee A. Wright was named CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe on a permanent basis, after serving as interim CEO since January 2023. Wright previously served as Chief Commercial Officer of Franchise Group and in executive roles at Conn’s.
Muriel Gonzalez was promoted to president of the retailer, after serving as EVP and chief merchandising and marketing officer of The Vitamin Shoppe since August 2020.
BigCommerce announced the following leadership roles:
Daniel Lentz was promoted to chief financial officer of BigCommerce, effective July 1. He previously served as SVP of finance and investor relations. Lentz will succeed CFO Robert Alvarez, who is retiring after a 12-year stint as CFO.
Chuck Cassidy was promoted to general counsel, effective June 2. Cassidy previously served as VP and associate general counsel. He will succeed Jeff Mengoli, who is retiring.
Hubert Ban was named chief accounting officer. He will replace Vice President of Accounting and Principal Accounting Officer Thomas Aylor, who departed the ecommerce platform on May 19.
Jeff Evans. (Courtesy photo)
Jeff Evans was named president and chief merchandising officer of At Home, the home goods retailer.
Evans previously served as EVP of entertainment, toys and seasonal at Walmart, managing the largest general merchandise business for the retailer. He rose to the position after serving in executive roles at Walmart US and Sam’s Club.