Royal Mail is making a change in delivery service to accommodate the demands of ecommerce, specifically what it refers to as the “night owl” shopping phenomenon. It comes as part of a strategic plan in which it will invest £1.8 billion in the UK over five years.
In addition to a second daily delivery of parcels, other initiatives will include collecting returns from consumers at home, and in-flight redirections for individual parcels. The returns-collection initiative includes “both consumers making returns and small marketplace sellers fulfilling sales.”
Here’s how the UK postal service describes the new approach to package delivery:
- This second delivery will consist of 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 a delivery of letters and all other parcels earlier in the day via Royal Mail’s network of postmen and women.
- The separate processing and delivery of Next Day and larger items will generate a reduction for Royal Mail in the cost of handling parcels, including small items. It will make it easier for postmen and women to deliver their usual round as heavy, bulky items will no longer be in their mailbag.
Royal Mail will build three new fully-automated parcel hubs as part of its move to a second daily delivery. Find details in the announcement on RoyalMailGroup.com.
