Explained simply by CLS: Omnichannel commerce and its impact on last mile delivery

In recent months, much discussion has focused on #developments in #ecommerce and #stationaryretail, the #impact of the #pandemic and #digitalization, supply chain disruptions, and new customs and #VAT regulations. 

There are 10 key #developments:

𝟭. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 (𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀) 𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸-𝗮𝗻𝗱-𝗺𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗻𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 – 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆

The dominant ecommerce players – the big #marketplaces, especially the leading 4 – are investing in physical stores. It started with a few “flagship” stores, designed to gain #insights while continuing to #focus on online #retailing. Better understanding the physical #infrastructure needed to enter the next phase of #urban #lastmiledelivery will allow #onlineplayers to capture a #growing #share of this market. 

𝟮. 𝗨𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲-𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁-𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁

Originating in the small-scale #delivery structures of local #foodservices, this #market has grown dramatically due to the #pandemic and is increasingly also used to deliver groceries and fast-moving #consumer goods and #supplies. As well as a high degree of #digital competence, the successful roll-out of this #model depends on densely distributed #inventory networks in urban areas which function as micro-hubs, allowing cost-efficient delivery within time windows of just a few minutes or hours.

𝟯. 𝗢𝘂𝘁-𝗢𝗳-𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 (𝗢𝗢𝗛) 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 – 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹𝘀

OOH delivery using unattended delivery infrastructure (i.e., parcel boxes) is on the rise. Cheaper than #homedelivery, it is gaining ground as a cost effective, sustainable alternative in the tracked postal items sector.  #OOH can also be used for, and combined with, “classic” #standard #parceldelivery, as well as with urban, micro hub-based, same-day delivery.

𝟰. 𝗢𝘂𝘁-𝗢𝗳-𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 (𝗢𝗢𝗛) 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴

If we look closer at the hype generated by OOH and #parcellockers, it is clear that due to limits on the numbers of potential #locations, lockers have limited capacities and can only handle a part of home #deliveryvolumes. However, advanced markets demonstrate that, in the foreseeable future, managed, unattended delivery infrastructure installed in residential buildings will become more relevant than lockers in publicly accessible locations.