There’s a new type of carrier in town. At Metapack, we call them ‘urban specialist’ carriers. They’re on a mission to disrupt delivery in the main cities of Europe and beyond, offering rapid and precise delivery timeframes to satisfy the rising expectations of urbanite shoppers.
According to research conducted by UK-based urban specialist Gophr, nearly 1 out of 10 consumers in that market expect same-day delivery – not just in ‘need-led’ categories, but also in ‘want-led’ categories, like fashion and electrics. ‘Urban specialist’ carriers like Gophr share a number of characteristics that allow them to deliver on these demands:
- Limiting their focus to a specific urban region affords a higher level of service
- Hub locations near cities enables very late cut-offs for next-day and same-day delivery
- Innovative routing software allows precise delivery timeframes
- A commitment to communication ensures a premium delivery experience, especially well-suited to luxury brands with the most stringent customer promises to uphold
‘Urban specialists’ + ‘ship from store’ = match made in heaven
When combined with fulfillment methods like ‘ship from store’, retailers can use ‘urban specialist’ carriers to deliver to city customers in exceptionally fast timeframes, within incredibly specific windows. For example, Netherlands based carrier Trunkrs collects parcels between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm, so that even orders placed outside of opening hours can be delivered on the same working day.
Metapack data shows that missed deliveries have gone down in the UK since COVID-imposed lockdowns, but as people gradually start to venture out of the home and resume their old lifestyles, we expect these levels to creep back up. Rapid and precise delivery is a great way for consumers to gain greater control over their experience, while avoiding costly and wasteful additional delivery attempts for retailers.
We’re proud to count several of these ‘urban specialist’ carriers among the ranks of our delivery service network. Here are just a few we’d like to introduce you to.
Gophr
Operating in the UK, Gophr is on a mission to disrupt the courier space for good, with the aim to bring people, and their stuff, closer together. Gophr differentiates themselves not only through speed, but also with precision. According to research recently conducted by the company, 75% of customers say speed and precision is a combination they would be willing to pay more for. Specifically, 13% would pay £5 more for a premium one-hour delivery slot.
Gophr’s experience combined with what they call an “addiction to data” sets them up perfectly to deliver within razor-sharp timelines and transparent customer communication. And it shows in their customer service ratings, which are three times higher than the industry average.
Trunkrs
Operating out of the Netherlands, Trunkrs is a same- and next-day delivery specialist. The company prides itself on delivery promise, boasting 99% of deliveries on time – the highest rate in the Netherlands.
This is achieved through a combination of accuracy and flexibility. Trunkrs follows its drivers in real-time using GPS, and customers are notified 15 minutes before delivery, either by text or email. If a delivery attempt is missed, the customer can contact the driver directly by telephone. If they’re still in the neighborhood, they’ll turn around so the customer can still receive their parcel that same evening.
Hived
HIVED is reinventing mass-market parcel delivery by combining three key advantages: 100% zero-emission delivery, while remaining price-competitive with traditional carriers and providing a great delivery experience. A heavily tech-driven delivery process allows HIVED to provide frictionless same-day, next-day and two-day delivery options. HIVED’s approach is loved by its staff (fully employed delivery staff earning fair wages), customers (rated “Excellent” on Trustpilot) and the environment (emission-free end-to-end, from warehouses nationwide to customers). Its innovative approach has also won the support and funding of Innovate UK as well as some of Europe’s leading venture capital investors.
Find out more about Metapack’s carrier network of 4,000+ shipping services here.