On-demand Delivery 2023: Everything You Need to Know

If there’s anything that has significantly changed over the years in eCommerce, then it is the evolution of the product delivery process. 

Owing to the rising need to provide cost-effective, convenient, and speedy deliveries, on-demand delivery has gained traction to guarantee the best experience possible. 

What is On-Demand Delivery?

In the online shopping industry, on-demand delivery means that the customers have the ultimate choice of deciding where they would like their products to be delivered and also when they want them delivered. On-demand delivery requires delivery service providers to get in contact with the local courier service provider to meet the final (last-mile) delivery requirements in a short time. 

Since it’s on-demand delivery, there is no advance notice. It is the process of retailers, restaurants, and manufacturers being able to get quick orders and fulfilling them in the shortest time possible. Such delivery service has gained traction particularly due to demand delivery apps like Uber as well as the proliferation of online sales due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. 

Key Benefits of Successful On-Demand Delivery 

1. Convenient Scheduling 

On-demand delivery is an answer to a lot of customer pain points and ease of scheduling is one of them. Companies that offer on-demand delivery services online offer convenient and accurate fulfilment options at the checkout. It lays down clearly where and when the delivery or pickup happens on the checkout page. 

On-demand delivery apps reduce the time of service exchange, thereby eliminating the need for a middle person in the process. Customers are also motivated to purchase since time is not a constraint. 

The method also minimises the need for physical interaction to receive basic services. It simply provides a digital platform for customers to facilitate the order of products or services conveniently. Since almost every customer has a smartphone, it just takes a few clicks to get what they want. It increases the demand from consumers and eventually revenue for your business.

2. Flexible Fulfillment Management 

On-demand delivery keeps eCommerce companies on their toes where they have to coordinate, digitize, and sync the delivery process end-to-end. There’s higher visibility in the delivery process to reduce operational costs of storage. 

On-demand deliveries eliminate the need for long-term leases, providing online platforms more freedom in their operations and aiding them to deliver in the fastest possible turnaround time. The flexibility of on-demand delivery fulfilment solutions means your business can scale accordingly to match the demand. All the data is in one place where you can be in the loop about the store inventory, retail staff, and drivers. 

For example, if a customer has placed an order for groceries and you need to fulfil same-day pickup, you need to check the stores where the inventory is available locally, source orders to the correct grocery store and have staff locate the item in time for pickup. The same process works for ship-from-store orders as well. 

3. Leveraging 3PL Logistics Providers

Most on-demand delivery providers opt for integrating a third-party delivery service. On-demand delivery literally means meeting the customer’s demand and to do so, you need expert delivery service providers who can proactively react to the customer's needs and supply drivers whenever necessary. 

Outsourcing logistics helps you save costs and resources. It allows you to optimize on-demand capabilities and maintain a high level of customer satisfaction. 3PL logistics partner can help your company in reducing costs and saving you time. Since your logistics are in the hands of someone who knows a great deal about timely delivery, you can use your time for product development and marketing. 

3PL logistics providers help you distribute inventory to the right location and all orders are routed through their micro-fulfilment centres. They have the knowledge to optimise routes and organize their delivery network and send orders according to specific demands. 

4. Automation in the Delivery Process 

On-demand delivery significantly relies on automation. Right from order placement, to order processing, to order fulfilment — Automation is the most reliable solution for timely deliveries and is cost-effective too. 

An automated delivery and routing system can make the right decisions about costs, volume, and allocating orders to on-demand delivery services. Automated systems can gauge how much time it can take for the delivery to reach the customers and inform them in case the delivery time is extended and if they want alternative delivery options. 

Inventory management tools also help in demand forecasting, helping you make well-informed decisions on how many resources would be needed at a particular time. For example, what’s the most liked dish of a restaurant and what ingredients would be needed at a particular festive season, and so on. 

A modernized shipping process sends orders to the nearest order fulfilment centre which saves your time and money on fuel. All of this reflects on customer satisfaction since you’re able to make timely deliveries by avoiding production line delays and predicting consumer purchases. 

5. Real-time Tracking 

Real-time tracking is at the heart of on-demand delivery. And it offers the biggest benefit to enterprises and customers. eCommerce stores can have end-to-end visibility even if they’re not in charge of the delivery. They know when the product or service is picked-up, dispatched, and on the way to delivery to the customer. 

Customers, on the other hand, are in a constant loop with where the order is and when they can expect to receive it. Since they have real-time updates of their product, they can directly contact the driver to add any address and delivery instructions or even confirm their time of arrival. 

Real-time tracking also prevents errors in delivery such as missed or lost parcels and failed delivery attempts. Entrepreneurs can monitor the movements of the fleet with all the necessary information at hand such as the driver information, the location, the product, etc. All of this enhances transparency and builds trust among customers, increasing their eCommerce user experience. 

Wrapping Up

Time and speed is the essence of on-demand delivery service and you cannot compromise the same. With an established micro-fulfilment network, you can rely on PACK & SEND to be your 3PL logistics provider and meet customer demands. You can contact us to get a personalized quote and learn more about our delivery solutions.