THE way that packages are delivered has changed considerably over the last few years, and it’s likely that we’ll see a continuation of many of the contributing trends over the years to come. 2023 promises several exciting innovations. While it’s impossible to say with absolute certainty what those changes will be, and how quickly they’ll come about, we can make a few solid guesses.
The importance of autonomous shopping and delivery
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Allowing machines to do the actual delivery is something that’s been in the pipeline for several years – but there are technical and legal obstacles that restrict the feasibility of drone-powered deliveries. Noise control and air-traffic concerns mean that this trend is unlikely to arrive suddenly. With that said, ground-based delivery devices like Amazon’s Scout have been tested with some success in the US, and we might see them become mainstream in the UK before long.
Where automation might make a bigger difference is in warehousing, inventory management, and shopping. Machines might pick your same-day delivery order, even if it’s a human being that eventually deposits it on your doorstep.
Consolidation centres and logistics hubs
In built-up urban areas, a consolidation centre can be an important way to reduce emissions from delivery vehicles. Packages coming from outside a town or city can be deposited at the hub, so that the ‘last mile’ of the journey can be delivered through more sustainable means – like cycling couriers, or even customers who come to pick up their package on foot.
This practice required very close co-operation between carriers, but the benefits can be substantial, both in terms of cutting costs and improving delivery speeds.
Pick-ups are here to stay
Having your package arrive at an unattended locker for you to pick up is hugely advantageous for people who spend a lot of time away from work. We might expect to see pick-up points in more places – and we might even see a trend toward ‘locker sprawl’, as disparate providers each provide their own, incompatible services. Again, a little bit of co-operation might have significant benefits.
Increased collaboration between logistics carriers
The trends we’ve mentioned have something in common, and that’s the potential for better results to be achieved when operators collaborate with one another. This might go in a number of directions. The industry might become a ‘closed shop’, where just a few businesses are able to compete. Or it might go in the other direction, and become so open that there are thousands of pick-up locations and hubs in a single city, which would drive up costs for everyone.
It’s likely that the industry will settle upon certain standards, and that logistics carriers will speak to one another, rather than waiting for government to intervene with regulation.
