Future of Last-Mile
Europe E-Commerce Logistics Market Report 2024
Get the latest insights into e-commerce in Europe with our 2024 report covering delivery performance metrics in France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
Mar 11, 2024
Walmart Introduces On-Demand Early Morning Delivery Service
Starting from 6 a.m., customers can now avail themselves of Walmart's delivery services earlier than ever before.
Mar 11, 2024
The Ultimate Guide to Shipping & Logistics in E-Commerce
From the benefits of tracking e-commerce shipments to parcel packaging best practices, this article covers everything that brands should know about shipping and logistics in online retailing.
Mar 10, 2024
International Women's Day 2024: Women Leading the Way in Logistics
To commemorate International Women’s Day 2024, we've tapped into the wisdom of accomplished female leaders in logistics, offering invaluable guidance for those venturing into traditionally male-dominated sectors.
Mar 08, 2024
Funding Roundup: Rozana, Pimberly, Shadowfax, and Others Raise New Funds
It has been a great start to 2024 for startups in the e-commerce, logistics, and supply chain spaces. Check out 5 of their amazing achievements: Rozana, Pimberly, Shadowfax, CARiD and Salla.
Mar 08, 2024
J.B. Hunt to Acquire Walmart's Intermodal Assets
The agreement between J.B. Hunt and Walmart marks a significant step forward in their shared mission to provide efficient and cost-effective transportation solutions, underscoring their commitment to delivering value to customers and shareholders alike.
Mar 06, 2024
Top Logistics Carriers Dominating the European Market
Learn how industry leaders like DHL, FedEx, and DPDgroup are shaping the future of e-commerce logistics through innovation, customer-centric services, and sustainable practices.
Mar 05, 2024
DHL Unveils New International Logistics Center in Poland
The inauguration of the new center marks a significant stride in DHL Group's commitment to meeting the evolving needs of the global logistics landscape, underscoring its dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction.
Mar 05, 2024
Flexport Launches the New Convoy Platform to Strengthen the Logistics Ecosystem
Carriers can utilize the Convoy app to browse available loads, manage paperwork, track their fleet, and even enjoy same-day or next-day payment options.
Mar 04, 2024
Live Panel Discussion: Unpacking the Logistics Trends of Tomorrow
Gain insights into the key logistics trends shaping the future of the industry, from automation and digitization to sustainable logistics and last-mile delivery solutions.
Feb 26, 2024
Trending Topics
Data Reports
Data Insights
Breaking News
Industry Events
Future of Last-Mile Supply Chain and Logistics
Last-Mile Logistics Explained
What is last-mile delivery? In a product’s journey from warehouse shelf, to the truck’s back, to a customer’s doorstep, the last leg of logistics is also known as last mile delivery. This process includes transporting the final product from the warehouse to the customer’s front door. This final stage of the delivery process is crucial and should be adequately managed to ensure timely delivery to the consumer. Because of rising consumer demand, businesses are investing more in optimizing l this crucial stage to ensure a timely and efficient distribution of goods. Whether it is a personal dwelling or a retail business, the end destination of the supply chain should be reached as soon as possible to ensure customer satisfaction. The last mile logistics is also the most costly portion of the route from the transportation hub to the end destination, hence resource optimization should be a priority.
Top Trends in Last-Mile Delivery
With the increase in popularity in last mile delivery solutions and the fact that retailers are offering more delivery options, find out more about the top trends in last mile delivery that you should look out for – whether you’re a consumer or a business. Some of the top trends include rapid last-mile fulfillment, urban warehousing, and in-sourcing deliveries. These last mile innovations aim to decrease last mile logistics costs and improve profit margins. In fact, nowadays, more and more stores are experimenting with robotics, drones, and self-driving vehicles as last mile delivery methods and solutions..
Future of Last-Mile Delivery for Retailers
While house deliveries seem to be the dominating e-commerce delivery method today, out-of-home delivery options have been growing in popularity in recent years. This is especially given the ever-changing circumstances surrounding the worldwide pandemic. The Covid-19 pandemic has made contactless deliveries the new standard. With social distance and minimal physical touch becoming the new normal, businesses will need to continue to discover ways to safeguard the safety of both delivery employees and consumers. Furthermore, parcel lockers have also become an important component of the future of last mile delivery. With parcel lockers, there is no need for delivery drivers and consumers to come into direct contact because the carrier only has to put the packages in parcel lockers.
Keeping Last-Mile Delivery Sustainable
In an era where consumers are growing more environmentally-conscious, merchants and logistics companies must ensure sustainable last mile delivery more than ever. Many logistics firms are trying to replace diesel-powered delivery cars with electric ones. For instance, DPD Group has set aside 200 million euros to decarbonize, optimize their overall operation, and reduce carbon emissions. It is also important to consider sustainability in reverse logistics. While the returns procedure is not sustainable in and of itself because there will be more packing waste, logistics providers should still implement a more sustainable approach to reduce the environmental impact. An example could be to complete return orders using delivery trucks that are already on their way to the same location.