Innovation is an unquestionable feature of eCommerce - but no matter how intense and dynamic the processes and changes involved, you don't have to worry about not keeping up with them. To help you stay up to date, as every two weeks we come with our Advox Press Release. What did the last days of August bring? New delivery trends, innovations in product packaging, and work on reducing returns - you'll read all about it in the 27th edition of eCommerce news!
Parcel vending machines the future of the delivery market
7 billion - that's how many packages were shipped in 2021 in Europe alone, and it is estimated that this figure will rise to as much as 40 billion in the next 10 years. The above vision of the future poses a number of logistics challenges for both online store owners and delivery companies. However, according to a report by TOR's Team of Economic Advisors, "Parcel Machines - a Green Solution for the Last Mile," the biggest difficulties are not related to the increase in the number of orders themselves, but to the title "last mile" logistics, i.e. the final stage of parcel delivery. In almost all EU countries, rising fuel costs, excessive traffic on the roads and related environmental pollution are causing concern. How to limit the negative effects?
The answer is parcel machines, considered the most efficient and environmentally friendly form of parcel delivery. What are the biggest advantages of this solution?
- Parcel machines reduce CO2 emissions in logistics by 75% - on a per-parcel basis, up to a 20-fold decrease in pollution can be reached.
- One delivery vehicle is capable of delivering 13 times more packages to a parcel machine in a day than a traditional courier.
- Delivery using a parcel machine requires the use of 0.01 liters of fuel per parcel, while home delivery requires the use of 0.23 liters.
- As many as 68% of consumers declare that the discussed form of delivery is their favorite - they most appreciate the possibility to pick up their order "by the way", such as on the way to work or home.
All indications are that parcel machines are the solution of the future, and their widespread use will make the eCommerce industry around the world develop in a more efficient and sustainable way.
You will learn the detailed results of the study here.
Disappearing packaging a way to protect the environment?
We've already learned about sustainable delivery - but what about order packaging, which is just as intensive in increasing pollution? A Polish startup called ZNIKA has come up with a proposal to curb this problem. What is the vision of this company?
The main idea of the founders of ZNIKA is to create packaging that will have the same use as plastic packaging. Eco-friendly envelopes, foils or fillers are characterized by durability and water resistance, however they are completely biodegradable. ZNIKA's products are created by processing and combining various types of plants with biopolymers such as potato starch or sugarcane waste. As a result, used packaging can be thrown into the compost heap without worry, where it will decompose into organic matter.
The company's creators are still looking for solutions that will guarantee the maximum eco-friendly approach, which is why they decided to produce their own labels, reducing water consumption by as much as 99%.
The crisis in the carton market and customers' negative attitudes toward plastic indicate that ZNIKA's actions are only the beginning of a packaging revolution. It is worth asking, however, when will the above changes gain more momentum?
You can learn more about the company's activities by looking at its website.
Will Zalando revolutionize the fashion industry even further?
Is it possible to completely avoid returns in eCommerce? Certainly not - especially when it comes to the fashion industry. However, nothing stands in the way of keeping them to a minimum, and that's the challenge Zalando has taken on.
Zalando is now one of the largest global marketplaces, with an assortment of more than 1.6 million fashion & beauty products. The risk of choosing the wrong size, cut or model with such variety in online shopping is inevitable. However, the impressive number of products allows for the acquisition of extensive data - which is the key to a new solution aimed at minimizing returns, Zalando Size Advice. What is the innovation of this tool?
Size Advice uses artificial intelligence and machine learning - special algorithms analyze a given customer's history of purchases and returns to make a personalized size recommendation. At the same time, the algorithm assesses whether a product will be too big or too small for a particular person.
The measures taken so far have reduced the number of size-related returns by 10%. However, Zalando plans to improve this result by introducing the Body Measurement function. Currently, based on two photos taken by the customer, Zalando analyzes the actual measurements and suggests the size the person should choose.
The German company is struggling to maintain its market leadership, so it is said that the actions taken are the first step toward creating the first virtual fitting room. Who knows, maybe then it will be possible to avoid returns altogether?
Read more about Zalando's innovative ideasin this article.
