However exciting a prospect this may be, MetaPack the delivery specialists, have released a whitepaper, saying there is more to it than one may imagine and that retailers considering this route need to be careful in getting it right.

“The advantages of Delivery Direct from Store are obvious,” explains Patrick Wall, CEO and founder of MetaPack, “offering to deliver items purchased online that very day within a specified time window can be a compelling prospect for customers, who may be either impatient to get hold of their purchases, or else have commitments which mean they cannot wait in all day for a delivery. It’s online catching up with the instant gratification of the high street with the added advantages of convenience.” Carriers and aggregators currently offering this service are CitySprint, Shutl, UK Main and Parcelforce, with CitySprint being the only same day specialist carrier with national SameDay coverage.

Patrick Wall continues, “However I believe that delivery from store will typically represent a solution to service niche products, luxury limited edition products, or more expensive impulse purchases, as the full service cost of delivery from store is inherently more expensive than central pick and pack. There are a number of processes that have to be in place should retailers still find this an attractive prospect, with carrier choice and total end-to-end visibility being key.”

Wall explains, “Argos could be seen as a special case since its infrastructure is designed to provide a wide range of stock in store and each store is essentially a local warehouse with high levels of pick accuracy. At the same time some retailers are moving from store pick to central pick, because pick accuracy in store has been averaging at 60%.  However, the success of UK eCommerce is partly based on innovation so we would expect to see more developments in this area.”

You can download a copy of the white paper here: http://www.metapack.com/index.php/resources/white-papers


About MetaPack & Direct From Store

MetaPack’s ‘intelligent delivery’ platform can be used effectively to deliver a workable, scalable process for despatch from store. MetaPack can maintain communications and accurate reporting throughout the process. As a SaaS it is accessible by any party with internet access, enabling, for example, order details to be passed centrally, but accessed locally by shop staff. The multi-carrier system is integrated to a number of carriers and services which could facilitate Direct from Store and retailers can easily switch allocation between them. During the entire delivery process, each status update can be relayed to the customer and/or retailer. This could be via a MetaPack tracking screen, a carrier screen, email or SMS. More and more carriers are also developing Apps, so tracking can be accessed via smartphone. Stock and Order Management systems such as Red Prairie, Manhattan and Vendornet are also fully integrated into MetaPack which facilitates the quick and easy flow of information.

Established in 1999, MetaPack is the provider of delivery management solutions for both multi-channel and online retailers. MetaPack is the only company providing a single point of integration for all UK and many European carriers, making sure that the complexity of using a multi-carrier network is made simple with automatic carrier allocation enabling retailers to offer comprehensive delivery options for online shoppers as well as complete tracking through extensive performance reporting. Serving some of the largest brands and partnered with all the respected couriers MetaPack ships over 65 million parcels a year both nationally and internationally and is suitable for anyone sending 30 parcels a day to 30,000 an hour. MetaPack is also backed by the IMRG, the trade body for e-retail and is used as a benchmark for the IMRG’s IDIS certification for best practice in delivery for retailers.


About CitySprint

With over 80% of the UK population accessible through their nationwide network, CitySprint is able to offer a SameDay delivery service giving consumers an option to select a two hour window, or evening delivery service. Delivery solutions are also available direct from store right to the consumer, whether they are at home or at work.

To satisfy consumer needs for convenient delivery times, CitySprint offers an option to select a two hour delivery window for a same day service, an evening service option and a midnight cut off for next day delivery, to enable those twilight shoppers to receive their goods as soon as possible. Services are available seven days a week including bank holidays.
  
Since 2009, CitySprint has continued to work in partnership with MetaPack to offer innovative retail delivery solutions. CitySprint has seen major benefits in integrating with the MetaPack platform in the development of their advanced delivery solutions for the retail sector. As the MetaPack platform operates across a range of despatch locations, it is perfect to support the store to consumer delivery options which CitySprint are pioneering in the market place.

Contact

Claire Biggs
MetaPack Limited
12-16 Laystall Street
London, EC1R 4PF
tel:  (020) 7843 6861
fax: (020) 7843 6721
email: info@metapack.com
http://www.metapack.com