Amazon Prime and the guarantee of two-day delivery has completely changed consumer expectations when it comes to home delivery.

Shoppers today expect a level of clarity and transparency into the delivery process. From the moment they click “purchase,” consumers want to know where their package is, who is delivering it and the exact time they can expect it on their doorstep.

Businesses filling a growing volume of online orders are facing logistics pressure as they scramble to get packages delivered across the country on their customers’ terms and in a tight timeframe. However, this new environment generates opportunities for retailers to win customer loyalty by providing the best delivery experience possible.

To do so, retailers must adapt their approach to logistics by adopting new final-mile mindsets, technology and logistics partners.

6 ways retailers can succeed in today’s ‘Delivery Economy’:

1. Trackability 

Consumers are accustomed to a digital package tracking experience. They expect easy access to this information 24/7, whether it be on their mobile device or desktop computer. Businesses must invest in these tracking capabilities and ensure their accuracy. Without them, they run the risk of eroding customer loyalty and trust.

2. Flexibility 

Personalized and precise delivery is the future, and customers need an easy way to make changes to their delivery preferences and schedules. Final-mile carriers must also have access to this information in real time to meet the customer on their terms. Owning and operating your own fleet can also create delivery challenges when resources are stretched. By leveraging independent contractor and/or crowdsourcing models, businesses can open up access to trucks and drivers across the globe that will, in turn, enable them to react nimbly to new delivery requests and changes.

3. Communication

Final-mile delivery leaders allow for two-way communication and permit the receiving party to leave detailed instructions on where and how to leave packages. Customers want complete visibility into the delivery progress, whether it be from emails, text alerts or push notifications from an app on their smartphone. Customers not only expect instant and direct interaction with their delivery carrier but wish to personalize how they do so.

4. Dependability

Amazon raised the bar when it guaranteed two-day delivery on all Prime purchases. Deliveries that are one day, or even one hour late have become unacceptable in the eyes of consumers. Today, a 100% delivery success rate is the expectation from customers, and retailers must do everything they can to attain it. This dependability has become essential in building customer relationships and trust. Consumers need to know exactly when to expect their package and have confidence that it will be there as planned.

5. Technology

Modern final-mile delivery engines must come equipped with a fully-integrated suite of technology tools that combine information portals, scheduling software, and real-time intelligence data to inform and enhance delivery execution. New delivery technology is also powering business operations with intelligence collected from tracking and monitoring tools. This information can deliver powerful insights into how to orchestrate daily delivery schedules, monitor driver efficiency, optimize route mapping for trucking fleets and much more. An investment in enterprise resource planning software and warehouse management systems also becomes crucial when managing large volumes of orders during peak order seasons.

6. Efficiency

With companies now expected to deliver to every corner of the country at a moment’s notice, utilizing a single-warehouse system can limit companies planning a growing number of overnight and next-day delivery orders. Under a multi-warehouse system, businesses can cut down on shipping costs and duration by sending out deliveries from warehouses closest to their final destinations. The most efficient final-mile solutions leverage a hub-and-spoke distribution model to execute deliveries from distribution centers to stores, and from store to front door.

Finding a logistics partner

In today’s age of tightening delivery timelines and growing consumer demands, retailers must ensure that their logistics process leverages the right technology and expertise to succeed. At USPack, we’ve been providing retailers with smart delivery services for decades. Rooted in logistics and powered by technology, we drive efficiency and higher customer loyalty and satisfaction for our retail partners. Our solutions empower retailers to transform logistics into a business advantage.

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