The eCommerce industry is flourishing with each day passing by and, the aim is to impart more sophistication in the processes involved. Sophistication always aims at streamlining tasks and reducing costs. It serves several purposes, such as keeping an eye on the miles travelled, deadhead miles, productivity, trip volume, use of resources and many more. Identical to any other industry trends, the eCommerce logistics market trends clearly illustrate that achieving a balance between costs, efforts and, quality becomes paramount. It brings before the right solutions for the requirements of customers.
The challenges before the eCommerce industry are many. From increasing spot rates to lack of labour, high customer expectations, development of modern fulfilment methods, recent Covid-19 pandemic all impacted the supply chain logistics unprecedently. These disruptions in the supply chain have helped supply chains and logistics industries. It helped them evolve and implement their operations proactively. The emerging trends in supply chain management have also resulted in a shift in logistics market trends. Let us check out a few of the logistics trends 2022 that will stay in the market during the year.
1. Express Delivery Surpasses Price
With courier companies offering same-day, guaranteed delivery within two hours of placing the order, consumers prefer express delivery despite the price it attracts. Earlier, they have opted for fast delivery services on groceries and items with short shelf life. However, as per the recent logistics market trends, consumers prefer to get their orders delivered as fast as possible, regardless of the nature of the products they purchase.
Hence the speed of shipment is a determinant factor that makes or breaks the business in 2022 ass more and more consumers desire to receive their products within hours of placing orders. Any logistics serving the eCommerce industry should implement express delivery service to stay competitive in the market.
2. Middle Mile Delivery is the key
Now, retailers find middle mile logistics the most appropriate way to cut delivery costs down. Until recently, the most significant aspect of eCommerce logistics revolved around last-mile delivery. Nevertheless, with each day, as mentioned above, eCommerce is evolving and, therefore, the middle mile is gaining more importance. Whereas the last mile is the distance from the final point of the supply chain to a customer, the middle mile denotes the movement of products from the supplier warehouse or distributor to the customer.
Middle mile delivery helps eCommerce businesses to perform better through competitive pricing. The logistics market trends suggest that it facilitates a reduction in ground transportation costs. Now, the new trends in eCommerce logistics reveal that many businesses follow last-mile technology for middle-mile delivery as it enhances efficiency in operations and reduces costs.
3. AI To Rule the Roost
Logistics companies that started adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning helped them reduce costs and improve inventory management and service quality to a great extent. AI is a game-changer; it directs the logistics operations and helps control costs with the help of large sets of data by evaluating the supply chain patterns. The logistics market trends show that AI technology makes comparisons in real-time, terms of external factors such as traffic, resources, weather and so on, to provide predictive analytics.
With careful analysis of these influencing factors, companies can control risks associated with shipping. Further, it increases efficiency, reduces delays and improves cost efficiency by all means. Using AI and advanced algorithms enhance transportation forecasting and eliminate unnecessary costs through accurate forecasting techniques. Therefore, it brings visible benefits to logistics companies while helping them to stay ahead of the competition.
4. Extensive Network of E-fulfilment Centres
There is an increasing need to keep inventory closer to consumers that faster deliveries become easier at reasonable costs. As we all know, the distance between warehouse and customer location influences prices. Therefore, establishing a vast network of fulfilment centres in strategic locations within a country becomes a priority for lessening the cost burden on customers.
The recent logistics market trends compel many eCommerce fulfilment companies to establish these fulfilment networks to speed up the entire process in order management and delivery. Along with selecting a logistics company that offer fulfilment centres across prominent locations in major cities to speed up the order delivery process, online stores have to streamline the movement of products from warehouses to customers to keep up with customer satisfaction and returns on investment. It ensures that order processing does not consume much time and aids the shipping and delivery-at-doorstep flawless.
5. End-to-end Visibility
With consumers wanting to keep track of the status of their products in transit, real-time visibility has become a norm in ecommerce and logistics. Helping customers know what is happening with their products provides a high level of transparency in shipping operations. End-to-end visibility implies real-time tracking to monitor and watch the shipment from pickup to the delivery point. Thus, complete visibility checks on uncertainties, reduce operational costs and forecasts market conditions.
The end-to-end visibility helps logistics companies to act quickly as per the changes in demands, ensures absolute control and provides seamless communication. While moving products from warehouses/fulfilment centres, customers can track their progress in real-time, mile by mile. Besides, it helps online stores to win customer confidence and ensures repeat purchases.
Move eCommerce Order Deliveries with Ianis Cargo!
At Ianis Cargo, we implement eCommerce deliveries to the customer doorstep asap! We have partnered with well-established courier partners to make order deliveries faster at reasonable rates. With the help of our advanced live shipping calculator, customers get instant shipping price estimates based on prevailing market conditions. We also offer price comparisons from several couriers; to help our customers access the lowest quote for shipments.
We closely watch out for eCommerce logistics industry trends to help prosper the business of our online store partners. The intelligent tracking facility provides live tracking and seamless end-to-end visibility for our customers to monitor the progress of transit of order deliveries without fail. With increased transparency, on-time delivery, real-time tracking and electronic proof of delivery, Ianis Cargo keep its customers updated, informed and satisfied in all aspects of shipping.
Apart from offering eCommerce delivery solutions, Ianis Cargo provides ground transportation through its comprehensive network of fleets operating all over Europe. If you wish to adopt the logistics market trends, avail of express transportation service, full truckload (FTL) and less than truckload (LTL) to any locations, anytime! It is easy to keep track of your shipments in real-time while delivering items at the customer doorstep; safely! We also have a separate courier service, Ianis Fast Courier, to keep your parcels, envelopes and documents moving and delivering to the specified location at the estimated time.