A variety of companies are getting involved with Same-Day Delivery, especially more brick-and-mortar retailers.  The latest to join in is well-known office supply retailer Staples.

Staples has officially launched “Staples Rush”, a new same-day delivery program within several major cities nationwide.  It is a store fulfillment initiative, aiming to drive an increase of online sales. The announcement comes after its’ denied merger with Office Depot, which would have given both retailers a large market share.  The strategy toward same-day delivery positions Staples for another innovative way to compete online with Amazon, Best Buy, Target and Google.  Staples’ initial roll-out will begin with parts of Boston, Dallas and Manhattan, followed by San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Houston, and Chicago.  The program will involve only product delivery, yet, copying and printing will be available in the coming months as well.

Executive vice president of supply chain and logistics Mike Bhaskaran, touted how Staples anticipates same-day delivery to positively impact it’s customer service.  “By offering a wholly-owned, same-day delivery experience, Staples is providing businesses the type of customer service they’ve come to expect from us throughout their entire transaction,” said Bhaskaran.  He went on to say, “The development process for Staples Rush is truly a collaborative and cross-functional effort that brought together different areas of expertise, including supply chain, eCommerce and merchandising, to create a valuable service for our customers.”

Faisal Masud, executive vice president of global eCommerce at Staples, also weighed in on how Staples Rush will translate into faster order fulfillment.  Faisal said, “Businesses want their online orders fulfilled faster than ever. Thanks to Staples’ unmatched omnichannel capabilities, which already include the ability to buy online and pickup in store, we will deliver the products customers need when they need them, so they can make more happen without having to wait on shipped orders.”  With the establishment of technology at a customer’s fingertips, the demand of more shopping convenience has grown.  Now, the retailer that doesn’t make the customer wait will potentially win.  This is the type of seamless omnichannel that brings success–just ask Amazon.

The e-retail leader has impressively created a sustainable same-day delivery program in 27 US cities, as well as the service is free for Prime members.  The most recent, an eleven city launch, which included Sacramento,Stockton, Fresno, Louisville, Raleigh, Cincinnati, Richmond, Tucson, Milwaukee, Nashville, and Charlotte.  These came in addition to the same-day delivery in the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, Seattle-Tacoma, Dallas-Fort Worth, Phoenix, Indianapolis,  Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Washington DC, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, and Orlando.  More than likely, Amazon will go nationwide, which speaks to the validity of same-day delivery evolving into more than simply a trend.

Staples is on its’ way to creating its’ own same-day delivery model, yet the question is will it work?  Of all of the components that will bring success with last-mile deliveries, one of the keys is close proximity warehousing, which Staples possesses.  Just as Macy’s, and other recent newcomers retail stores such as Best Buy, Staples has hundreds of store locations that will be used as online order fulfillment centers.  Same-day delivery is made profitable primarily by volume and distance.  Now, Staples could partner with a Same-Day Courier like 1-800 Courier to create a sound same-day delivery logistics solution that will meet the retailer’s needs.

The Dallas Courier has a national footprint and the courier expertise to not only assist start-up pilot same-day delivery programs, but also the ability to quickly adjust and expand with it.  Staples needs an established delivery company, experienced on how to make the service work.  In the upcoming months, Staples can begin to aggressively compete online, especially before the holiday season comes.

Reference: 6.15.16, www.pymnts.com, Staples Jumps Into Same-Day Delivery

When a retailer decides to dive into Same-Day Delivery, among the first things they consider is what delivery company can they trust.  Once a fast service like this is tested and implemented, reliability and consistently is the key to avoid any breakdowns.  Same-day delivery is just what it is–an online purchase brought to a shopper’s front door as fast as they ordered it.  The delivery demand and expectations are high for both the retailer and the end customer.  Error and late deliveries can cause loyal customers to turn somewhere else for their online orders.

Shopify has decided to jump into the same-day delivery race and has chosen its’ partner to help establish itself as a competitor within the industry.  The storefront software provider has partnered with Postmates to offer asame-day delivery in around 200 cities nationwide.  This is an enormous amount of cities to implement at once, however, they are all within Postmates’ current coverage areas.  The delivery company also mentioned that it has plans to expand, even moving beyond the US borders into Europe, starting in the United Kingdom.

In a recent blog by Shopify, The company will enable its’ thousands of merchant customers to offer to their end customers same-day delivery within as little as an hour.  Many big name retailers that provide same-day delivery, have this high-level option available also, namely Amazon’s Prime Now.  This position Shopify merchants to compete for the online business segment that needs their items quickly.  It is a convenient service to be able to offer and more shoppers have become very comfortable with it.

Online retail is forecasted to reach  $500 billion by 2018.  Same-day delivery is expected to reach $987 million by 2019 as well.  This equates to companies like Google, Amazon, BestBuy, Target, Macy’s, Whole Foods, Ace Hardware, UPS, and more are involved at some level of same-day delivery to capitalize on the growing online market.  For example, Amazon added 11 more major US cities to its’ current same-day delivery program, which is free for Prime members.  Sacramento, Stockton, Cincinnati, Fresno, Louisville, Tucson, Milwaukee, Nashville, Raleigh, Richmond, and Charlotte are among that number and it is likely going to increase by year’s end.   The largest e-retailer has 27 total cities now, with it becoming a nationwide program at the door.

Shopify and Postmates have both been aggressive at gaining ground with same-day delivery.  To attract its’ merchants into pushing the service, Shopify offered $50 in free Postmates deliveries through May 3rd and 5th last week.  The e-commerce provider gains more than 100,000 e-retail clients per year, and with these high numbers, Shopify should be very competitive within the market quickly.  On the other hand Postmates has decided to compete with Amazon and offer a subscription membership program itself.

Postmates Plus unlimited gives subscribers free same-day delivery for all orders of $30 or more for $9.99 per month.  Postmates has customers that include some 3,000 stores and services in the US.  A Same-Day Courier like 1-800 Courier is a viable partner for nationwide retailers that need a reliable delivery provider that can develop sound same-day solutions.  The Dallas Courier has hundreds of partners that it successfully executes same-day delivery programs for and helps their online business grow.

Reference: 5.3.16, www.shopify.com, Shawn French, Now Shopify Merchants Can Offer Their Customers Same-day Delivery Through Postmates

The growth online isn’t making it easy for retail manufacturers.  The way shoppers have changed their perspective on making their purchases is causing retailers to revamp how to customers into their stores.  One service that companies are opting to offer is online order and in-store pick up services.  It allows customers to take advantage of a value-added convenience service, and at the same time, physical store retailers are able to get traffic into their doors.

Internet Retailer recently reported that luxury apparel and accessories manufacturer Kate Spade is planning to officially launch a buy online, pick up in store program later this year.  The company tested the service late last year and had success.  Within the article, Chief operating officer George Carrara said, “We know that regardless of which (way) she actually transacts, whether that’s online or in a store, that that journey is increasingly starting in the online space, which is certainly advantageous to us in terms of our ability to tell great stories and build engagement in the online experience”.

The fourth quarter numbers show all the reasons why Spade is deciding to offer the service.  It’s net revenue last year went up 7.6% to $429.0 million, from $398.6 million the previous year.  Sales from Kate Spade North America reached $371.3 million, up 13.7% from $326.7 million.  Yet at the same time, sales from Kate Spade International of $52.1 million, down 13.3% from $60.1 million the year prior.  Also, the retailer’s net income went drastically down to $61.5 million, a 51.4% drop from $126.5 million.

One company that has added in-store pick up to its’ repertoire is Wal-Mart.  The retail leader has implemented Wal-MarttoGo in several major US cities.  Wal-MarttoGo allows customers to place their orders online and perform their own pick-up at select Wal-Mart stores.  Loyal customers may already be planning to shop there, and the service only gives them another option to shop online if they choose to.  This results in retaining loyal customers.

Another service that Wal-Mart, Macy’s, Amazon, Google, and others have implemented that Kate Spade may consider is launching Same-Day Delivery this year as well.  Since it tested its’ store pick up program during the holidays last year, Spade could test same-day delivery within a small market this year.  Same-day delivery is expected to reach $987 million by 2019 in the US, which has a lot to do with online retail growth.

A Same-Day Courier like 1-800 Courier partners with a variety of retailers and businesses nationwide, implementing optimal same-day logistic solutions.  The Dallas Courier has the delivery expertise to help any company excel online.

Reference: 3.7.16, www.internetretailer.com, Matt Linder, Kate Spade will launch buy online, pickup in store

It hasn’t been that long that same-day delivery has been thriving and all types of businesses have begun to implement it.  When big companies like Amazon, Macy’s, Google, Wal-Mart, BestBuy, and more all dive into the service right before the holidays, it shows that it is becoming a huge commodity for other industries like carriers. Deutsche Post DHL Group has come on board in the carrier industry to offer same-day delivery, not by car, but via bus.

It is not strange when a carrier recognizes that buses are traveling a wide range of the same routes that packages, boxes and small parcels are intended to arrive at. It actually is a great idea for the Deutsche Post to have decided to test and see if it can indeed be successful. Post and Parcel recently released an article where the Deutsche Post DHL Group will begin testing same-day delivery in Berlin and Hamburg.  They will be the first cities to try out the service, with hopes to expand into other city markets next year.  It is necessary for same-day delivery to be incorporated into an industry where shipping by bus will work. The carrier business has the vast customer base to get the volume needed to generate a profit performing same-day delivery.

The article discussed how the Postbus service will occur.  The customer will first print out their shipping documents, which they have the option of completing online. Then, they drop off their parcels to the Postbus Courier pick up point at the main omnibus station in Berlin or Hamburg. They then give their parcels to a service staff member, who places the item in a bag, seals it and stows the bag securely in the Postbus.  Recipients can personally pick up items at the arrival destination, or have third party collect the items after proving their legitimacy through identification or providing the right parcel TAN.

“Postbus Courier is a new same-day delivery option that gives our customers another choice, using our intercity bus network for shipping particularly urgent items”, said Achim Dünnwald, CEO of Mail Communication at Deutsche Post and designated head of DHL Parcel.  When a customer has a time-sensitive item or package, same-day delivery for a company has to be on time, even when it is via bus.  On a normal basis, bus travel is not a preferred mode of delivery, however, PostBus will be an intercity option that will provide the convenience that customers are looking for.

All same-day delivery programs begins testing with certain charges to the customer to use the service.  As Postbus introduces their service, the cost will be 20 Euros, which is to $27.54 US dollars.  Customer have something that will give them the convenience and the pricing that they want.  With Christmas around the corner, customers are going to need a Same-Day Courier like 1-800 Courier to get their products to their recipient’s door bell on time. The Dallas Courier has the ability to cover short and long distances for companies that need it in their delivery model. A number of big name retailers that offer same-day delivery in the US charge anywhere between $5 – $15.00 for their service.  The bus service may cost a more, yet covers longer distances.

Reference: 12.7.15, www.postandparcel.com, Deutsche Post DHL Group trial same-day delivery via its bus network

When you’re a company like Boeing, your costs can skyrocket producing your airplanes and jetliners.  Competition with Airbus is getting more intense and the right production systems needs to be in place to gain an advantage.  This is why Boeing is making strategic moves to implement a cost-saving approach to building planes, first beginning with Walter Odisho, who it hired in December 2013.

Reuters reported how the 52 year-old Odisho came from working with Toyota at its’ $6 billion plant in Kentucky and is an expect when it comes to auto manufacturing.  He is the company’s vice president of manufacturing and safety.  Boeing would like to convert to more of a standardized method of manufacturing, as auto makers do.  The first product in which Boeing is implementing a different building approach is with it’s new jetliner 777X.  The article mentions how the new jet is projected to pave the way for a new manufacturing process to flow deeper within its’ plants.

“I think the 777X will be our first opportunity to show the ideas that we have to date,” said Walter Odisho.  This new plane is the world’s largest twin-engined jet that is due to enter service in 2020.  Construction of the 777X has shown that this type of building can work with Boeing’s other products also, even within the assembly lines.  There are so many innovations that businesses are creating, as they begin to think outside-the-box to get ahead.  For Boeing, the article mentions how improving the sequencing of parts reduces inventory and eases cash flow, which has been a recent focus for its’ investors.

It also means less space is needed to store parts, which results in less overhead costs.  A wide range of businesses know that a huge chunk of their costs is overhead, and the less inventory you carry, the more efficient your operation is.  This is why same-day delivery has become such a staple for companies because it keeps costs down and limits inventory.

“The idea of achieving significant savings in a single action is a fallacy. We’ll take the opportunities and when you add them all up together, I think they will amount to quite significant improvements,” Odisho said.  With the changes Boeing is implementing, there will be an affect of inventory and parts delivered into its’ manufacturing facilities.  Here is where a same-day courier like 1-800 Courier can be an asset for Boeing.  The Dallas Courier can perform part distribution deliveries across the US and make sure on-demand parts are available for replenish the same day.  With time-sensitive parts, especially for operation machine breakdowns, 1-800 Courier can be Boeing’s one-source for all of their same-day delivery needs.

Reference:  4.28.15, www.reuters.com, Tim Helpher and Alwyn Scott, Boeing looks to car industry expert for jet production savings

The Postal Service isn’t pleased with it’s financial state and hasn’t been for quite some time now.  It is indeed looking for change and the outgoing US Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe has mentioned some innovative measures for growth.  Reuters reported a few weeks ago Donahoe stated that not only can overcoming health burdens make the US Postal Service more profitable, but same-day delivery of groceries can too.  He will be leaving the Postmaster General position as of February 1st, yet he states the service needs greater control of its’ workforce and more flexibility in pricing and developing new products.

He stated the USPS could be profitable if it changes its’ business model and experimented with same-day delivery of packages and grocery deliveries as forward-looking tactics.  He stated, “There’s plenty of interesting opportunities going on, we think, from the standpoint of delivery, many different things.  The grocery business could be a multi-million-dollar business from our perspective … You can’t limit yourself to what you’re doing now.”  There are a number of retailers already involved in same-day delivery of their products that outsource to a same-day courier like 1-800 Courier to pick up and deliver items.

The USPS took a hit last year to make sure it financially covers the health retirement benefits for its’ workers decades ahead.  It is government required and has led to default in recent years, in addition to union opposition to the deals the USPS can make with retailers.  The report mentions the Postal Service has been losing billions of dollars for years, including $5.5 billion in fiscal 2014, despite cutbacks in the workforce, consolidation of facilities and other cost-cutting moves.

The mail giant strongly desires to get away from the hands of Congress, deeming it doesn’t have the autonomy to get itself out of the deep hole financially.  The article quoted Donahoe stating at the National Press Club, “Congress needs to look at the Postal Service as a business that is going to be a lot different in the coming years and it should view this as a positive, desirable outcome”.  With the way technology has morphed business done online, all it takes is the right innovation for the USPS to make become strong, i.e. delivering groceries same day.

Online retail is estimated to increase to $500 billion by 2018.  It is a viable avenue for the US Postal Service to take because it has the operational facilities and vehicle fleet to deliver a wide range of items within major US cities.  It already delivers our mail, therefore, delivering online products and groceries makes sense.  Metro Post, the USPS’s last-mile delivery service, already partners with Amazon to perform same-day delivery on Sunday’s in New York.  Expansion of Metro Post is a matter of partnering with more web-based and physical store retailers.

Reference:  1.6.15, www.reuters.com, Jason Reed, Outgoing U.S. postal chief hails grocery delivery, seeks innovation