It's interesting that so much of what we've written about same day delivery in recent months has looked at how traditional retailers are looking to ride the wave that adding same day services will take them on. Many large retailers are in effect becoming their own warehousing or distribution centers in an effort to compete with the sales of online retailers while also refining their own delivery service options for customers who prefer to shop online.
Uber to test cargo delivery version of popular app initially in Hong Kong
If you haven't yet used the app-based taxi and transportation service Uber chances are you know someone that has. The rise of the company since 2009 has been nothing short of accelerated and today they offer service in over 200 cities in 53 different countries around the world. With a sales model conceived around the Uber app for smartphones, the application allows customers to reserve a vehicle plus driver from their fleet to book a ride and track the whereabouts of the car.
Commercial van sales improved 14.3% in 2014
The growing economy, less expensive gas and a steady rise in the demand for delivered goods and equipment via traditional methods and same day delivery has seen impressive sales for new vehicles in general and also in commercial vehicles. While many of the leading automakers are reporting sales running at rates that are between 10-20% higher than a year ago (and in some cases even above that) we’re also seeing sales of trucks and commercial vans reporting very similar increases.
USPS to add same day delivery services in D.C. on January 15th
If any further evidence was needed to demonstrate the rapid growth in popularity of same day delivery services it may have just been delivered by the news that USPS are expanding their services in the arena. Up until now USPS had been experimenting with what they’ve called ‘Metro Post’ in just San Francisco (which struggled) and New York City, but now they have announced that the service will be expanded to include Washington D.C. along with certain suburbs of the city in Virginia and Maryland.
Same Day Delivery services came of age in 2014
With the 2014 holiday season now officially over and the nation getting back to normal work routines it's an ideal time to begin to take stock of the huge impact that same day delivery had on the nation's consumers and sellers last month. 2014 was clearly the year that the migration to same day delivery services took flight whether it be business-to-business same day delivery or the rapidly expanding retailer (particularly online etailers) to customer market.
Instacart's same day delivery for groceries set to expand
The arrival of 2015 sets up the next chapter in the continuing rise of same day delivery services across the nation. While our services primarily focus on business-to-business same day delivery for urgent supplies, equipment, parts or inventory we watch with interest what's happening elsewhere in the industry.