Ecommerce represents one of the world’s biggest growth markets, as it continues to showcase double-digit growth year-on-year. In fact, online retail in the U.S. held a 14.3% share of total sales at the end of last year, with this number having increased by 12.9% in relation to 2017.
However, the U.S. market is home to only the third biggest ecommerce market in the world, as it continues to trail behind Germany and the UK (with the latter generating more online sales than any other nation).
There’s no doubt that ecommerce has revolutionised the retail market and consumer behaviour in the Western world, whilst also driving change in a number of associated sectors. In this post, we’ll explore the logistics industry and ask how online retail has altered this space.
Ecommerce – Changing how we Shop and the Demands Placed on Couriers
To understand the real impact of online shopping, we need to consider how this market has changed the way in which we consume goods.
In simple terms, ecommerce platforms have created a more demanding and impatient generation of consumers, the vast majority of whom now expect to source, purchase and receive their orders.
This type of mindset in now commonplace in nations such as the UK, with consumers also expecting expedient and flexible delivery options that are available either cheaply or completely free of charge.
These significant changes have changed the demands placed on both retailers and couriers alike, who have had to collaborate in a bid to streamline supply chains whilst creating cost and efficiency savings that can be shared proactively with customers.
In general terms, this has led to the digitisation of the logistics industry, with a number of market leading brands having developed cutting-edge concepts like Smart Send.
This provides intuitive assistance to low and medium volume shippers, by leveraging proven and reliable shipment firms and creating specialist delivery options that can expedite the fulfilment of orders on an international scale.
This type of small and technology-led innovation has really driven change in the logistics sector, while translating into more time and cost-efficient delivery and tracking options that directly benefits customers.
Following the Amazon Model
Amazon arguably stands as the trailblazing ecommerce retailer, and one that has set the standards in terms of adapting its logistics strategy and exceeding its customers’ demands.
Of course, most ecommerce platforms lack the resources of Amazon, but this doesn’t mean that there aren’t lessons that can’t be learned from this prominent market leader.
Amazon has created a diverse range of delivery options, in the form of same-day shipments and the so-called “click and collect” model. The latter enables customers to have goods shipped to secure locations nationwide and seven days each week, creating a convenient delivery option that can fit around each customer’s individual schedule.
Amazon Prime also shows the value of a subscription-based model, through which customers can pay a single, annual fee in exchange for free, next-day delivery across an unlimited range of goods.
For regular online shoppers, this can translate into huge savings and typically encourages them to spend more with their favourite brands over time!
Make no mistake; firms are continuing to learn from Amazon as they scale, particularly in terms of their logistics operations and how they’ve evolved with modern customer needs in mind.
