Second daily delivery will be back soon
The continuous evolution of online sales has determined Royal Mail to reintroduce the second daily delivery service, which will expand in line with demand and be fully operational by 2023. This is great news for both sellers and their customers, because it translates into a more faster online shopping experience, from one point to another.
The new parcel delivery service follows a big rise in people ordering items online and demanding next day delivery and in order to implement this nationwide, Royal Mail will invest around £1.8 billion in UK over the next few years.
Most of the investment will focus on customer service improvements, digital initiatives, network enhancements, collecting returns from consumers at their home, in-flight redirections for individual packages and many other new ways of working to deliver more productivity and efficiency to Royal Mail customers. As part of the move to a second daily delivery, three new fully-automated parcel hubs will be built, representing a significant investment in the regions in which they are located. Royal Mail also says that this initiative will help fund the UK’s Universal Service.
The second daily delivery service will focus on Next Day parcels, typically purchased online from retailers the evening before, and larger items more appropriate for van delivery. In many cases, the delivery will be less than 24 hours after the order is made. Customers will continue to receive delivery of letters and all other parcels earlier in the day via Royal Mail’s network of Posties.
Before deciding to relaunch the service after a 16 year hiatus (back in 2003 the service was canceled due to RM registering money loss – this comes to show just how much online shopping has evolved over the years) Royal Mail representatives have analyzed the retail market closely and the way delivery services can help buyers enjoy their newly acquired products faster.
Delivery in less than 24 hours is in tune with the “night owl” shopping phenomenon. Smartphone night shopping has increased by 33% in just one year and almost 80% of consumers value a retailer who offers late order acceptance.
Shopping at night means that the orders won’t make it to the local delivery office in time for the 1st daily delivery, which is why the 2nd daily delivery for packages only is in high demand.
2023 will be a good year
Besides super fast delivery of online orders, 2023 will also bring faster returns, including for eBay orders, as postal workers will collect returns from customers at their home.
This includes both consumers making returns and small marketplace sellers fulfilling sales.
Royal Mail will also offer a range of in-flight redirection options where consumers are not going to be at home when their parcel is scheduled to arrive.
The value of online returns is expected to increase by more than 27% over the next five years. Royal Mail has already announced this week that it will introduce 1.400 parcel postboxes across the UK over a six month period, starting this summer, more exactly in August.