LOGISTICS
LOGISTICS
Amazon offers support to start delivery business in the US
E-COMMERCE giant Amazon has launched a new Delivery Service Partner programme that helps entrepreneurs build their own companies delivering Amazon packages .
Amazon said it will take an active role in helping interested entrepreneurs start , set up and manage their own delivery business . Successful owners can earn as much as US $ 300,000 in annual profit operating a fleet of up to 40 delivery vehicles . Individual owners can build their business knowing they will have delivery volume from Amazon , access to the company ’ s delivery technology , hands-on training and discounts on a suite of assets and services , including vehicle leases and comprehensive insurance .
The offering provides technology and operational support to individuals with little to no logistics experience the opportunity to run their own delivery business . To help keep start-up costs as low as US $ 10,000 , entrepreneurs will also have access to a variety of exclusively negotiated discounts on important resources they will need to operate a delivery business . The deals are available on Amazon-branded vehicles customised for delivery , branded uniforms , fuel , comprehensive insurance coverage and more .
“ We have great partners in our traditional carriers and it ’ s exciting to continue to see the logistics industry grow ,” said Dave Clark , Amazon ’ s senior vice-president of worldwide operations . “ Customer demand is higher than ever and we have a need to build more capacity . As we evaluated how to support our growth , we went back to our roots to share the opportunity with small and medium-sized businesses . We are going to empower new , small businesses to form in order to take advantage of the growing opportunity in e-commerce package delivery .”
One of Amazon ’ s beta participants in the new offering , Olaoluwa Abimbola , had prior experience running his own business but not in logistics . “ I was driving for Amazon Flex when I learnt about the opportunity to start my own delivery company . Backed by Amazon ’ s resources and logistics experience and its encouragement to ‘ learn while I earn ’, this opportunity was a no-brainer . In
Over time , the Delivery Service Partner programme will empower hundreds of new , small business owners to hire tens of thousands of delivery drivers across the US , according to Amazon .
just five months , I have hired more than 40 employees , and it ’ s encouraging to know that any driven individual can use Amazon ’ s support and the Delivery Service Partner community to build a successful , thriving business ,” he shared .
Amazon added that this new offering continues the company ’ s long-time commitment to enabling small and medium-sized businesses to grow with the rising tide of e-commerce . ra
APAC consumers lead the way in drone delivery
SHOPPERS in Asia-Pacific are some of the most confident when it comes to the concept of receiving drone deliveries and making payments via autonomous technology , according to new research from payment processing company Worldpay .
The research examined the viewpoints of 20,102 consumers across 10 global markets , including China , Singapore and Australia in Asia-Pacific . Consumers were asked about their opinions in relation to the Internet of Things ( IoT ); specifically , how comfortable they are with the concept of drones and whether they would be happy to allow these machines to deliver parcels or collect returns . The research found that shoppers in the region are more comfortable than their global counterparts when it comes to drone delivery .
For example , 70 % of consumers in
China and 52 % in Singapore are comfortable with drone delivery , demonstrating more confidence than shoppers in Europe or the US . Meanwhile , Australia is slightly more cautious than regional counterparts , with 43 % of consumers comfortable with drone delivery and 66 % of Chinese consumers are comfortable with the notion of having a drone collect any unwanted items or returns , as compared to 45 % in the US and 41 % in the UK and Germany .
Phil Pomford , general manager for Asia- Pacific , Global Enterprise eCommerce at Worldpay , said : “ Shoppers in Asia-Pacific are once again eager to lead the way in trying out new shopping technology and experiencing the future of retail sooner . Online merchants are already trialling drones capable of delivering packages at lightning speed , and as shoppers become more comfortable and confident with autonomous technology , we can expect to see many opportunities for connected devices to make consumers ’ lives easier .”
The growing presence of online shopping has made Asia-Pacific a busy market for parcel delivery . However , there has also been the rise of parcel fraud , leading to missing items or fake courier scams , which threatens to damage consumer confidence .
Pomford added : “ This is where payment technology will play an important role . By verifying the identity of the recipient before releasing the parcel , our proof of concept is an example of how technology can address the common problems associated with home delivery . The volume of parcels in transit will only increase , as shopping online increasingly becomes the channel of choice for Asia- Pacific consumers .” ra
22 Retail Asia August 2018