For decades, consumers have dealt with a very inconvenient fact. Whether delivered by FedEx, UPS or another shipping carrier, packages tend to arrive during the day, when most people are at work. Some consumers are able to solve this problem by rerouting packages to the workplace, but there are some businesses that have prohibited this practice.
Most delivery services leave packages on recipients’ doorsteps, assuming they’ll still be there when the person arrives home from work. As surveillance videos have shown, however, thieves have begun targeting those abandoned packages, forcing retailers to take the loss. For ecommerce businesses, replacing stolen packages has become so costly that requiring a signature upon delivery is the only option. But some enterprising services are taking convenient package delivery head-on and offering a different solution.
Convenient Package Delivery Times
One service, currently being offered in San Francisco, brings customers their packages by request. Called Doorman, this app allows customers to ship packages directly to their business. It then alerts customers via mobile when their package arrives and invites them to schedule a time for a courier to bring it directly to their front door. The service currently charges $4 per package or $20 a month.
A Growing Trend
Doorman is one of many companies striving to use technology to make people’s lives easier. Instacart provides grocery delivery within an hour for $5.99 with any purchase of $35 or more. Rideshare company Uber has launched Uber Essentials in Washington DC, offering delivery of necessities like toilet paper and over-the-counter medications in ten minutes or less. Amazon Locker sends items to a designated location, where it is stored in lockers that can be accessed during the hours those locations are open.
As more shipping services – like Doorman – emerge, offering convenient package delivery for customers, online ordering will only continue to grow. This will benefit small businesses striving to build a customer base online, allowing them to provide convenient pickup for their own customers, and make buying from online businesses a more pleasant experience overall.