Uber Technologies Inc. is adding sports retailer Hibbett Inc. to its Uber Eats platform as more big-box shoe and sneaker retailers focus on how to shopping easier for their customer base.
The new partnership guarantees that consumers across the U.S. can shop nearly 900 Hibbett locations and get their athletic performance shoes, apparel and gear delivered on demand to wherever they want — in as little as one hour. The ability to shop Hibbett’s assortment mix on the Uber Eats app went live on Thursday, ensuring that athletes, sneakerheads and fans can get the latest sneaker drops, running shoes and lifestyle sneakers on the Uber platform.
Users on the app need to navigate to the retail category and select their local Hibbett store. From there, they can browse sneakers and other options, add items to the cart and choose a delivery time before placing the order. The app also allows them to track their order in real time. Uber One members enjoy additional perks, including no delivery charge on eligible orders.
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Hibbett said that joining the Uber Eats platform is its way of “expanding its commitment to access and convenience, meeting customers where they are and getting gear to them fast.”
“We’re thrilled to share our new partnership with Uber Eats — a collaboration that reimagines what it means to shop locally,” Hibbett CIO Bill Quinn said. “By bringing together the agility and speed customers love from Uber Eats with the trusted Hibbett shopping experience, we’re creating a new convenient way to shop for athletic-inspired fashion, the latest sneaker drops from brands like Nike and Jordan and much more.”
Quinn added that the new partnership is about more than just faster delivery. He said the initiative is also about “more access for our local communities.”
For Uber, the new collaboration allows the company to expand beyond food and grow its retail offerings. “As people gear up for the season ahead, we’re excited to make Hibbett’s iconic selection of footwear and apparel just a tap away,” Hashim Amin, Uber’s head of retail for North America, said.
While Hibbett is the latest retailer to join the platform, it isn’t the only shoe and sneaker retailers onboard. Shoe retailer DSW joined in September to ramp up its same-day delivery option. DSW also is working with DoorDash, a partnership whereby DSW parent Designer Brands Inc. CEO Doug Howe said that 85 percent of transactions on the DoorDash marketplace represent customers new to DSW.
And Dick’s Sporting Goods joined the platform in June, giving customers the option of shopping over 800 Dick’s Sporting Goods and Golf Galaxy locations. “We believe that speed and convenience is key to our omni-channel experience, and we’re excited to launch our partnership with Uber Eats as an extension of that philosophy,” Scott Casciato, vice president of omni-channel fulfillment and strategy at Dick’s, said at the time.
Dick’s has flirted with same-day delivery before. Five years ago, it teamed up with Instacart to offer the service over the holiday season from more than 150 stores across nine states and Washington, D.C.
Other shoe retailers have also made forays into same-day delivery. Allbirds partnered with Uber Eats last year. The growing Academy Sports + Outdoors last teamed up with DoorDash, and in 2023, JD Sports and Finish Line joined forces with Instacart for same-day delivery.
Getting close to consumers and making convenience a priority was one reason why mass discounter Target Corp. acquired the online same-day delivery provider Shipt in December 2017 for $550 million in cash. Shipt also works with other retailers. When Target disclosed early holiday discounts for Target Circle Week to rival Amazon Prime Days earlier this month, the discounter said Converse shoes were discounted 20 percent, and that special deal of the day offers were 40 percent off shoe brands such as Crocs and Hey Dude. Better yet, Target shoppers were able to avail themselves of convenience service such as same-day delivery through Shipt. Target offered a similar set of specials for back-to-school in August and its paid Target 360 loyalty program members who met certain requirements were able to get unlimited same-day delivery.
Retailers who can provide a measure of convenience to the customer experience and combine it with online shoe buyer expectations of free shipping are more likely to hit a home run when trying to grow marketshare.
A study from AlixPartners on its 2025 U.S. Consumer and Executive Home Delivery survey found that 30 percent of consumers will shop elsewhere if expectations for free shipping aren’t met, and footwear is among the top categories with the highest risk. And while consumers are willing to pay extra — the sweet spot is an amount less than $5 up to $9.999 — for same-day delivery of groceries and medical supplies, 34 percent said they would not pay extra for same-day delivery for apparel and footwear purchases.
As for where shoe buyers want to purchase their footwear, the study found that 47 percent preferred buying online and having the purchase delivered.
