POSTAL NEWS
No 5 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
UPS Gives U.S. Exporters A Helping Hand With Saturday Pick-Up Of International Shipments. January 14, 2019.
Pakistan Post Directorate General Union Wins Referendum. January 14, 2019.
USPS Gains Market Share from Rivals. January 13, 2019.
UK Online Retailers Confident About 2019. January 11, 2019.
Posti Parcel Lockers serving every day of the week at the Munkkivuori Posti outlet − counter services will be transferred to the Töölö Posti outlet in March. January 11 , 2019.
UPS Gives U.S. Exporters A Helping Hand With Saturday Pick-Up Of International Shipments
January 14, 2019
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is enabling its U.S. customers to sell their products globally with the same delivery speed as domestic shipments. Businesses that schedule a Saturday pick-up from the U.S. to 57 key international markets will have their shipments processed and shipped on Saturday and delivered as soon as Monday, one day faster than previous UPS time-in-transit. The destination countries (see list below) are located across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, with more key markets to be added later this year.
“One day makes a big difference when it comes to your international customers deciding to place an order,” said Nando Cesarone, President, UPS International. “We’re seeing significant opportunities for U.S. businesses, especially small-and medium sized online retailers, to export their quality products to high-growth international markets. By connecting e-tailers to our smart global logistics network, UPS helps them meet their customers’ expectations and compete with local country e-tailers.”
The new Saturday export pick-up service will benefit U.S. businesses that want to ship exports six days per week or need a rush on weekend orders. It expands UPS’s existing portfolio of Saturday ground delivery and pick-up services for its U.S. customers, launched in 2017, which was one of the largest time-in-transit improvements in the company’s 110-year history.
Exporting can benefit companies not only by opening doors to new customers and partners, but also by providing additional revenue diversification. Companies that export to multiple countries are also nearly 8.5 percent less likely1 to go out of business than companies that do not export.
Furthermore, the U.S. Small Business Administration reports that out of 30 million American companies, less than 1 percent presently export; even then, a 58 percent majority export to only one country. With 95 percent of consumers located outside the U.S., there is a vast untapped market that is ripe for new entrants.
UPS’s enhanced service also means a reduced chance of online shoppers abandoning shopping carts because a faster delivery enhances online competitiveness and builds the e-tailers’ brand internationally. E-tailers in the U.S. looking to go cross-border further benefit from fewer lost sales by choosing ship-from-store options and other UPS® fulfillment solutions.
When paired with the more than 28,000 UPS Access Point® locations worldwide, which include independently owned and operated businesses that offer online shoppers a convenient and safe place to pick up shipments, this service expansion significantly enhances U.S. exporters’ ability to get packages to their customers where and when they want them delivered.
Additionally, multiple industries with a global customer base ranging from automotive and high-tech to healthcare stand to benefit from this additional operating day. It enables them to add a sixth day to ship internationally providing an opportunity to turn inventory faster, utilize space more efficiently, and increase productivity.
Source : https://pressroom.ups.com/pressroom
Pakistan Post Directorate General Union Wins Referendum
January 14, 2019
Pakistan Post Office Directorate General Employees Union Monday won the referendum held against the Postal Headquarters Workers Union.
Among the office bearers of the newly elected body included Chairman Malik Muhammad Munir, Vice Chairman Muhammad Aslam, Chief Organizer Sarwar Nasir, Deputy Chief Organizer Chaudhry Zahid Hussain, President Syed Qurban Shah and Vice President Amjad Siddiq, said a press release issued here.
In the referendum, the employees also elected Pervaiz Akhtar as General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary Chaudhry Zakaullah, Finance Secretary Tariq Mehmood, Deputy Finance Secretary Asif Khan, Press Secretary Aftab Hussain Khattak, Deputy Press Secretary Javed Iqbal Qaimkhwani, Office Secretary Raheel Iqbal, Ladies Councilor Aukasha Akhtar and Minorities Councilor Shahzad Masih.
In his address, President Syed Qurban Shah thanked his voters and dedicated his victory to the workers. He also resolved to put in more efforts for workers' welfare through revolutionary steps.
Source : https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan
USPS Gains Market Share from Rivals
January 13, 2019
The US Postal Service (USPS) continues to gain market share from its rivals, according to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), which adopted rules this month concerning the share of institutional costs that Competitive products must contribute.
The current appropriate share requirement for Competitive products is 5.5 percent of institutional costs. For Fiscal Year 2019, the appropriate share is 8.8 percent. See more information and the impact of the PRC’s ruling in this story – a must-read if you missed our January 3rd story in EcommerceBytes Newsflash.
In its report, the PRC included some interesting information about the market growth of USPS parcel delivery. It noted that the Postal Service and its competitors experienced steady increases in revenue over the past 5 fiscal years, indicating that growth in the market benefited all market competitors.
“The Postal Service also captured market share since FY 2007, particularly in the years since FY 2011,” according to the PRC report.
Table II-3 shows the market share by revenue for the Postal Service and competitors for FY 2007 through FY 2017.
The PRC also noted, however, that the three major shipping carriers differentiate themselves by specializing:
FedEx specializes in international and express delivery;
UPS specializes in business-to-business delivery;
and the Postal Service specializes in last-mile business-to-consumer delivery of lightweight parcels.
Here’s an excerpt of the report:
“As shown in Table II-3, the Postal Service’s market share as measured by revenue was 9.22 percent in FY 2007. By FY 2017, the Postal Service’s market share as measured by revenue grew to 19.36 percent.
“Although this demonstrates that there has been growth in the Postal Service’s market share as measured by revenue, the Postal Service maintains a relatively modest share of the overall market. This is especially true when one considers that the parcel delivery market has three primary competitors that make up the majority of the market: United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS), Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), and the Postal Service.
“One of the primary ways these three competitors have competed with one another for customers is through firm specialization and product differentiation. Each of these firms has developed specialties in certain types of delivery: FedEx specializes in international and express delivery; UPS specializes in business-to-business delivery; and the Postal Service specializes in last-mile business-to-consumer delivery of lightweight parcels.
“As a result, each of these competitors offers products with differences in a range of features, including price, service, reliability, tracking features, and the availability of ancillary services such as insurance and return options.”
The report also included a table showing showing the average annual price increases for all three competitors from CY 2008 to CY 2019 (Calendar Year).
Source : https://www.ecommercebytes.com/2019/01/13
UK Online Retailers Confident About 2019
January 11, 2019
Almost seven in ten (69 %) UK SME online retailers are confident that their sales will increase in 2019, according to a study commissioned by Royal Mail.
The biggest perceived challenges for UK SME online retailers in 2019 are economic instability in the UK, pricing goods competitively, attracting new customers and growing competition in the online space. 68 % of retailers experienced an uplift in sales last year, compared to the previous year. However, 73 % of online retailers expect costs to be higher in 2019.
The study also found 70 % of UK SME online retailers currently sell overseas. These retailers sell the most to Europe, USA and Asia.
UK retailers are increasingly looking overseas to increase their sales. In 2019, 68 % of UK SME online retailers intend to increase their international sales revenue. This is up from 64 % this time last year. Key plans for increasing international sales revenue include: simplifying the sales/ordering/delivery and payment process (46 %), selling more to the markets they already sell to (31 %) and targeting new markets and countries (25%).
When asked which destinations they intend to start selling to in 2019, Europe, USA and Canada came out on top for UK SME online retailers. In terms of prospects, Europe is perceived to hold the greatest opportunity for overseas sales, followed by USA and Asia.
A spokesperson from Royal Mail said: “Although obvious challenges exist in 2019, it’s promising to see the level of business confidence from UK SME online retailers. Retailers are focusing on the opportunities they have for growth and are looking at how to be successful both in the UK and abroad. At Royal Mail, we already support many retail businesses in delivering against these opportunities. We make exporting as simple as possible by giving UK SME online retailers the tools they need and we look forward to working with even more of these great businesses this year.”
Source : https://postandparcel.info/99925/news
Posti Parcel Lockers serving every day of the week at the Munkkivuori Posti outlet − counter services will be transferred to the Töölö Posti outlet in March
January 11 , 2019
Posti continuously offers quicker and more versatile service alternatives to meet the needs of the growing e-commerce market. Digital services combined with parcel lockers that serve with long opening hours make parcel pickup and sending even smoother than before.
The Posti outlet at the Munkkivuori shopping center will be transformed into a self-service outlet offering parcel services on March 2, 2019. The availability of the parcel services will be improved by the parcel lockers that serve every day of the week, Mon–Sun from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
“We are developing our service model, since the Munkkivuori Posti outlet has been the smallest outlet in Helsinki when considering the number of customers, and we have not been able to find a new partner in the area to continue the offering of the postal services. Most of the visits at outlets concern parcel pickups. We will make parcel pickup at the Munkkivuori Posti outlet easy by introducing Posti Parcel Lockers with longer opening hours to customers,” says Lasse Huttunen, Director of Retail Network at Posti.
“The parcel lockers are the most popular way to pick up items. You can pick up a parcel in just seconds, and you can send pre-paid parcels that have been paid online or with the OmaPosti application through the parcel lockers. Posti’s personnel will be present to give instructions on the use of digital services and parcel lockers until March 15, Mon–Fre from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m. There will be a total of 306 parcel lockers.
Many stores in the Munkkivuori shopping center sell stamps, and the letterbox and post office boxes will remain in their places. The parcel locker in the Munkkivuori S-market store continues to serve customers. Pre-paid items can be sent through the parcel lockers as well as at the R-kioski pick-up point on Puistotie street, which also sells packaging materials. If necessary, it is possible to order home delivery for items from Posti as an additional service.
Parcel lockers will be activated at the Munkkivuori Posti outlet on February 11, after which most items can be picked up from a parcel locker. Counter services will be discontinued on March 1, at 2 p.m. Letters and other items that are not suitable for parcel lockers in the Munkkivuori postal code area will be directed to the Töölö Posti outlet starting March 1. Customers in the area will be notified of the change via mail at their home address at a later date.
The Töölö Posti outlet will also start serving on Saturdays – the availability of services will increase by up to 55 hours per week
The Töölö Posti outlet will expand its opening hours on weekday evenings and Saturdays starting from February 25. In addition to the outlet services, the parcel lockers will serve every day of the week. Posti’s personnel will also serve on Saturdays in the future.
The Töölö Posti outlet, address Linnankoskenkatu 14, 00250 Helsinki
Open as of February 25, 2019: Mon-Fri from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sat from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The new parcel lockers in the Töölö Posti outlet will be available for customers every day of the week: Mon–Sun from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A self-service area will also be opened at the Helsinki Main Post Office on January 28. The world’s largest Posti Parcel Locker with 412 lockers will be activated in the area.
Different options for parcel pickup
Most postal services relate nowadays to parcel pickup. Parcel pickup is no longer tied to a certain Posti outlet as before. By selecting the OmaNoutopiste pickup option, customers can direct deliveries to their nearest or otherwise most convenient Posti Parcel Locker or service point, or even choose a pickup point close to their summer cabin. The selection can be made using the OmaPosti application or online at posti.fi.
Posti's network contains about 900 outlets and more than 1,000 parcel lockers. Posti will also increase the number of Posti Parcel Lockers this year. Posti Parcel Lockers can also be requested for housing companies or business properties.
Parcel postage fees are the lowest when paid in advance using the OmaPosti application or online and, at the same time, you can reserve a locker where you can leave your item for transport. A pre-paid parcel can also be dropped off at any Posti outlet using the Helposti code, with no need to fill in an address label. Further information on the service: posti.fi/lahettaminen.
Companies can order Posti’s pickup and delivery service, in which items are directly delivered to and picked up from the companies. Corporate service points in, for example, Konala and Ilmala serve the sending needs of companies.
Source : https://www.posti.com/en/media/media-news/2019
POSTAL NEWS
No 6 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
MaltaPost p.l.c awarded the ‘Premju Soċjeta Ġusta’ award for the most inclusive company. January 17, 2019.
Parcelforce Worldwide launches express24large service. January 16, 2019.
Postal workers in U.S. protest in solidarity with Canada Post counterparts. January 15, 2019 .
AUSTRALIA POST Delivered 40 Million Parcels In December. January 15, 2019.
Dutch retailer taps Deliveroo for half-hour deliveries in Amsterdam. January 14, 2019.
MaltaPost p.l.c awarded the ‘Premju Soċjeta Ġusta’ award for the most inclusive company
January 17, 2019
MaltaPost p.l.c. is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious ‘Premju Soċjetà Ġusta' for the Company which operates in the most inclusive manner in respect of its Tanseana Project. The ‘Premju Soċjetà Ġusta' is organised by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Persons with Disability and Active Ageing. This award was initially created as a celebration of the work, commitment and dedication being taken by the people involved in the disability sector; this year has introduced a prize for the most inclusive company. This award recognises employers that offer in-work opportunities to persons with disability and implement practices that go beyond what is required of them by law.
Most of the staff members engaged on this project are persons with various forms of disability who reside in Gozo. With the support of JobsPlus and the Lino Spiteri Foundation these employees carry out work related to Document Management services.
MaltaPost p.l.c has undertaken this project in the spirit of promoting inclusivity understanding, supporting, enhancing and focusing primarily on the abilities of disabled persons. The core principle that guides these Awards is to have a society whereby persons with a disability participate actively in the community.
MaltaPost p.l.c is very proud to have been the first company to have won this prestigious award and looks forward to strengthening its ‘Tanseana Project' to further help persons with disability.
Source : https://www.maltapost.com/news
Parcelforce Worldwide launches express24large service
January 16, 2019
Parcelforce Worldwide has launched a new next day tracked service - express24large – for sending and receiving larger items. Customers can buy online and Parcelforce Worldwide will collect the parcel from a home or business address; or customers can drop their parcels off at a local depot. Parcels can be up to 2.5 metres in length. The length and width combined should not exceed more than 5 metres. Individual parcels can weigh up to 30kg but there is no weight limit for the full consignment of parcels.
Each large parcel is fully tracked, so that customers can check the progress of their items through to delivery. Large parcels can be sent direct to the recipient, or picked up from their local depot.
Under the new service, parcels can be collected from customers the same day depending on the time of day the service is booked. Parcelforce Worldwide offers large parcel delivery services to the majority of UK destinations.
A spokesperson from Parcelforce Worldwide said “The launch of express24large aims to make it faster and more convenient to send and receive larger items via our parcel delivery service. At Parcelforce Worldwide, we are constantly looking to innovate and expand our services to cater to the needs of our customers.”
For help on how to correctly package and address a parcel for large parcel delivery, Parcelforce Worldwide has a comprehensive packaging guide.
Prices for Parcelforce Worldwide’s large parcel delivery service depend upon the customer’s chosen pickup and drop off options, so the fastest way to find the correct price for a parcel is to get a quote.
Source : https://www.royalmailgroup.com/en/press-centre/press-releases/parcelforce
Postal workers in U.S. protest in solidarity with Canada Post counterparts
Members of the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers part of protest
January 15, 2019
U.S. postal workers are gathering outside Canada’s embassy in Washington to protest the federal Liberal government’s decision to legislate their northern counterparts back to work.
Members of the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers are among those on Pennsylvania Avenue who are taking part in what they call a show of solidarity with Canada Post workers.
Ottawa passed legislation last November that required striking postal workers to resume their duties, appointing a mediator to arbitrate an end to the Crown corporation’s dispute with members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
Those efforts, led by Elizabeth MacPherson, former chairwoman of the Canada Industrial Relations Board, broke down in December and are expected to resume later this month.
That process is aimed at reaching arbitrated settlements that would be imposed on Canada Post and its 42,000 urban carriers and 8,000 rural and suburban employees.
During last year’s rotating walkouts, Canada Post requested that its foreign partners halt deliveries to Canada while job action was underway.
Source : https://www.castlegarnews.com/news
AUSTRALIA POST Delivered 40 Million Parcels In December
January 15, 2019
Australia Post delivered record Christmas volumes in December 2018, making it the biggest ever month for parcel volumes for the organisation.
The growing popularity of online shopping and online sales events, as well as strong Christmas Eve and Boxing Day sales, contributed to an 11.7 % increase from the previous December.
Australia Post Chief Operating Officer, Bob Black, said it was all hands on deck over the Christmas period with more than 3000 extra staff employed across the network to handle the huge volumes.
“We made more than 40 million parcel deliveries in December, and our hardworking posties delivered more than 40 % of these, as well as more than 210 million letters,” Mr Black said.
“Our busiest day was Monday 17 December, when we delivered a record three million parcels across the country – by far the biggest day in our history.
“What we didn’t expect was to have a lot of shoppers race to the finish line to post their festive parcels, with our people delivering a whopping 2.7 million items on Christmas Eve – our next busiest day of the month and equal second busiest day in history.”
Mr Black said Australians were embracing online shopping like never before, with Australia Post revealing last year that online purchases had grown by almost
20 % in 12 months.
“Our research found that people were buying up to 19.2 % more items online. By 2020, we expect one in 10 items will be bought online.
“Online shopping is building momentum as a channel of choice, where customers can make the most of online deals and choose customisable delivery options with Australia Post. This means online shoppers can buy the brands they love no matter where they live,” said Mr Black.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/99961/news/post
Dutch retailer taps Deliveroo for half-hour deliveries in Amsterdam
January 14, 2019
A new partnership between Dutch grocer Albert Heijn and Deliveroo will see them delivering hot meals in Amsterdam’s city centre.
The service, called Allerhande Kookt, will allow customers to receive meals from the grocer’s online recipe database within half an hour. The meals will be cooked by a team of chefs in Amsterdam West.
Delivery app Thuisbezorgd.nl will also take part in the project. The company has previously worked with Albert Heijn to deliver convenience products. Using electric bikes, the riders collect products from one of two AH to go stores in the city, with the trial running for two months before being evaluated.
Marit van Egmond, EVP of Commerce at Albert Heijn, said the move would meet an increasing demand amongst customers for home-cooked meals that they didn’t have to cook themselves.
“This is exactly what we are offering with our new service called ‘Allerhande Kookt’: the dishes that you would normally cook yourself, we can now make for you and you will get them nice and warm on the dinner table within half an hour.”
Deliveroo also worked with the Co-op on a delivery trial in the UK city Manchester. The trial took place at five stores in the Greater Manchester area to test consumer demand for a home delivery service.
Source : https://edelivery.net/2019/01
No 5 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
UPS Gives U.S. Exporters A Helping Hand With Saturday Pick-Up Of International Shipments. January 14, 2019.
Pakistan Post Directorate General Union Wins Referendum. January 14, 2019.
USPS Gains Market Share from Rivals. January 13, 2019.
UK Online Retailers Confident About 2019. January 11, 2019.
Posti Parcel Lockers serving every day of the week at the Munkkivuori Posti outlet − counter services will be transferred to the Töölö Posti outlet in March. January 11 , 2019.
UPS Gives U.S. Exporters A Helping Hand With Saturday Pick-Up Of International Shipments
January 14, 2019
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is enabling its U.S. customers to sell their products globally with the same delivery speed as domestic shipments. Businesses that schedule a Saturday pick-up from the U.S. to 57 key international markets will have their shipments processed and shipped on Saturday and delivered as soon as Monday, one day faster than previous UPS time-in-transit. The destination countries (see list below) are located across the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific, with more key markets to be added later this year.
“One day makes a big difference when it comes to your international customers deciding to place an order,” said Nando Cesarone, President, UPS International. “We’re seeing significant opportunities for U.S. businesses, especially small-and medium sized online retailers, to export their quality products to high-growth international markets. By connecting e-tailers to our smart global logistics network, UPS helps them meet their customers’ expectations and compete with local country e-tailers.”
The new Saturday export pick-up service will benefit U.S. businesses that want to ship exports six days per week or need a rush on weekend orders. It expands UPS’s existing portfolio of Saturday ground delivery and pick-up services for its U.S. customers, launched in 2017, which was one of the largest time-in-transit improvements in the company’s 110-year history.
Exporting can benefit companies not only by opening doors to new customers and partners, but also by providing additional revenue diversification. Companies that export to multiple countries are also nearly 8.5 percent less likely1 to go out of business than companies that do not export.
Furthermore, the U.S. Small Business Administration reports that out of 30 million American companies, less than 1 percent presently export; even then, a 58 percent majority export to only one country. With 95 percent of consumers located outside the U.S., there is a vast untapped market that is ripe for new entrants.
UPS’s enhanced service also means a reduced chance of online shoppers abandoning shopping carts because a faster delivery enhances online competitiveness and builds the e-tailers’ brand internationally. E-tailers in the U.S. looking to go cross-border further benefit from fewer lost sales by choosing ship-from-store options and other UPS® fulfillment solutions.
When paired with the more than 28,000 UPS Access Point® locations worldwide, which include independently owned and operated businesses that offer online shoppers a convenient and safe place to pick up shipments, this service expansion significantly enhances U.S. exporters’ ability to get packages to their customers where and when they want them delivered.
Additionally, multiple industries with a global customer base ranging from automotive and high-tech to healthcare stand to benefit from this additional operating day. It enables them to add a sixth day to ship internationally providing an opportunity to turn inventory faster, utilize space more efficiently, and increase productivity.
Source : https://pressroom.ups.com/pressroom
Pakistan Post Directorate General Union Wins Referendum
January 14, 2019
Pakistan Post Office Directorate General Employees Union Monday won the referendum held against the Postal Headquarters Workers Union.
Among the office bearers of the newly elected body included Chairman Malik Muhammad Munir, Vice Chairman Muhammad Aslam, Chief Organizer Sarwar Nasir, Deputy Chief Organizer Chaudhry Zahid Hussain, President Syed Qurban Shah and Vice President Amjad Siddiq, said a press release issued here.
In the referendum, the employees also elected Pervaiz Akhtar as General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary Chaudhry Zakaullah, Finance Secretary Tariq Mehmood, Deputy Finance Secretary Asif Khan, Press Secretary Aftab Hussain Khattak, Deputy Press Secretary Javed Iqbal Qaimkhwani, Office Secretary Raheel Iqbal, Ladies Councilor Aukasha Akhtar and Minorities Councilor Shahzad Masih.
In his address, President Syed Qurban Shah thanked his voters and dedicated his victory to the workers. He also resolved to put in more efforts for workers' welfare through revolutionary steps.
Source : https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan
USPS Gains Market Share from Rivals
January 13, 2019
The US Postal Service (USPS) continues to gain market share from its rivals, according to the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC), which adopted rules this month concerning the share of institutional costs that Competitive products must contribute.
The current appropriate share requirement for Competitive products is 5.5 percent of institutional costs. For Fiscal Year 2019, the appropriate share is 8.8 percent. See more information and the impact of the PRC’s ruling in this story – a must-read if you missed our January 3rd story in EcommerceBytes Newsflash.
In its report, the PRC included some interesting information about the market growth of USPS parcel delivery. It noted that the Postal Service and its competitors experienced steady increases in revenue over the past 5 fiscal years, indicating that growth in the market benefited all market competitors.
“The Postal Service also captured market share since FY 2007, particularly in the years since FY 2011,” according to the PRC report.
Table II-3 shows the market share by revenue for the Postal Service and competitors for FY 2007 through FY 2017.
The PRC also noted, however, that the three major shipping carriers differentiate themselves by specializing:
FedEx specializes in international and express delivery;
UPS specializes in business-to-business delivery;
and the Postal Service specializes in last-mile business-to-consumer delivery of lightweight parcels.
Here’s an excerpt of the report:
“As shown in Table II-3, the Postal Service’s market share as measured by revenue was 9.22 percent in FY 2007. By FY 2017, the Postal Service’s market share as measured by revenue grew to 19.36 percent.
“Although this demonstrates that there has been growth in the Postal Service’s market share as measured by revenue, the Postal Service maintains a relatively modest share of the overall market. This is especially true when one considers that the parcel delivery market has three primary competitors that make up the majority of the market: United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS), Federal Express Corporation (FedEx), and the Postal Service.
“One of the primary ways these three competitors have competed with one another for customers is through firm specialization and product differentiation. Each of these firms has developed specialties in certain types of delivery: FedEx specializes in international and express delivery; UPS specializes in business-to-business delivery; and the Postal Service specializes in last-mile business-to-consumer delivery of lightweight parcels.
“As a result, each of these competitors offers products with differences in a range of features, including price, service, reliability, tracking features, and the availability of ancillary services such as insurance and return options.”
The report also included a table showing showing the average annual price increases for all three competitors from CY 2008 to CY 2019 (Calendar Year).
Source : https://www.ecommercebytes.com/2019/01/13
UK Online Retailers Confident About 2019
January 11, 2019
Almost seven in ten (69 %) UK SME online retailers are confident that their sales will increase in 2019, according to a study commissioned by Royal Mail.
The biggest perceived challenges for UK SME online retailers in 2019 are economic instability in the UK, pricing goods competitively, attracting new customers and growing competition in the online space. 68 % of retailers experienced an uplift in sales last year, compared to the previous year. However, 73 % of online retailers expect costs to be higher in 2019.
The study also found 70 % of UK SME online retailers currently sell overseas. These retailers sell the most to Europe, USA and Asia.
UK retailers are increasingly looking overseas to increase their sales. In 2019, 68 % of UK SME online retailers intend to increase their international sales revenue. This is up from 64 % this time last year. Key plans for increasing international sales revenue include: simplifying the sales/ordering/delivery and payment process (46 %), selling more to the markets they already sell to (31 %) and targeting new markets and countries (25%).
When asked which destinations they intend to start selling to in 2019, Europe, USA and Canada came out on top for UK SME online retailers. In terms of prospects, Europe is perceived to hold the greatest opportunity for overseas sales, followed by USA and Asia.
A spokesperson from Royal Mail said: “Although obvious challenges exist in 2019, it’s promising to see the level of business confidence from UK SME online retailers. Retailers are focusing on the opportunities they have for growth and are looking at how to be successful both in the UK and abroad. At Royal Mail, we already support many retail businesses in delivering against these opportunities. We make exporting as simple as possible by giving UK SME online retailers the tools they need and we look forward to working with even more of these great businesses this year.”
Source : https://postandparcel.info/99925/news
Posti Parcel Lockers serving every day of the week at the Munkkivuori Posti outlet − counter services will be transferred to the Töölö Posti outlet in March
January 11 , 2019
Posti continuously offers quicker and more versatile service alternatives to meet the needs of the growing e-commerce market. Digital services combined with parcel lockers that serve with long opening hours make parcel pickup and sending even smoother than before.
The Posti outlet at the Munkkivuori shopping center will be transformed into a self-service outlet offering parcel services on March 2, 2019. The availability of the parcel services will be improved by the parcel lockers that serve every day of the week, Mon–Sun from 7:00 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
“We are developing our service model, since the Munkkivuori Posti outlet has been the smallest outlet in Helsinki when considering the number of customers, and we have not been able to find a new partner in the area to continue the offering of the postal services. Most of the visits at outlets concern parcel pickups. We will make parcel pickup at the Munkkivuori Posti outlet easy by introducing Posti Parcel Lockers with longer opening hours to customers,” says Lasse Huttunen, Director of Retail Network at Posti.
“The parcel lockers are the most popular way to pick up items. You can pick up a parcel in just seconds, and you can send pre-paid parcels that have been paid online or with the OmaPosti application through the parcel lockers. Posti’s personnel will be present to give instructions on the use of digital services and parcel lockers until March 15, Mon–Fre from 10 a.m. to 18 p.m. There will be a total of 306 parcel lockers.
Many stores in the Munkkivuori shopping center sell stamps, and the letterbox and post office boxes will remain in their places. The parcel locker in the Munkkivuori S-market store continues to serve customers. Pre-paid items can be sent through the parcel lockers as well as at the R-kioski pick-up point on Puistotie street, which also sells packaging materials. If necessary, it is possible to order home delivery for items from Posti as an additional service.
Parcel lockers will be activated at the Munkkivuori Posti outlet on February 11, after which most items can be picked up from a parcel locker. Counter services will be discontinued on March 1, at 2 p.m. Letters and other items that are not suitable for parcel lockers in the Munkkivuori postal code area will be directed to the Töölö Posti outlet starting March 1. Customers in the area will be notified of the change via mail at their home address at a later date.
The Töölö Posti outlet will also start serving on Saturdays – the availability of services will increase by up to 55 hours per week
The Töölö Posti outlet will expand its opening hours on weekday evenings and Saturdays starting from February 25. In addition to the outlet services, the parcel lockers will serve every day of the week. Posti’s personnel will also serve on Saturdays in the future.
The Töölö Posti outlet, address Linnankoskenkatu 14, 00250 Helsinki
Open as of February 25, 2019: Mon-Fri from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sat from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The new parcel lockers in the Töölö Posti outlet will be available for customers every day of the week: Mon–Sun from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
A self-service area will also be opened at the Helsinki Main Post Office on January 28. The world’s largest Posti Parcel Locker with 412 lockers will be activated in the area.
Different options for parcel pickup
Most postal services relate nowadays to parcel pickup. Parcel pickup is no longer tied to a certain Posti outlet as before. By selecting the OmaNoutopiste pickup option, customers can direct deliveries to their nearest or otherwise most convenient Posti Parcel Locker or service point, or even choose a pickup point close to their summer cabin. The selection can be made using the OmaPosti application or online at posti.fi.
Posti's network contains about 900 outlets and more than 1,000 parcel lockers. Posti will also increase the number of Posti Parcel Lockers this year. Posti Parcel Lockers can also be requested for housing companies or business properties.
Parcel postage fees are the lowest when paid in advance using the OmaPosti application or online and, at the same time, you can reserve a locker where you can leave your item for transport. A pre-paid parcel can also be dropped off at any Posti outlet using the Helposti code, with no need to fill in an address label. Further information on the service: posti.fi/lahettaminen.
Companies can order Posti’s pickup and delivery service, in which items are directly delivered to and picked up from the companies. Corporate service points in, for example, Konala and Ilmala serve the sending needs of companies.
Source : https://www.posti.com/en/media/media-news/2019
POSTAL NEWS
No 6 -2019
Formulated by UNI Apro Post and Logistics Sector
MaltaPost p.l.c awarded the ‘Premju Soċjeta Ġusta’ award for the most inclusive company. January 17, 2019.
Parcelforce Worldwide launches express24large service. January 16, 2019.
Postal workers in U.S. protest in solidarity with Canada Post counterparts. January 15, 2019 .
AUSTRALIA POST Delivered 40 Million Parcels In December. January 15, 2019.
Dutch retailer taps Deliveroo for half-hour deliveries in Amsterdam. January 14, 2019.
MaltaPost p.l.c awarded the ‘Premju Soċjeta Ġusta’ award for the most inclusive company
January 17, 2019
MaltaPost p.l.c. is pleased to announce that it has been awarded the prestigious ‘Premju Soċjetà Ġusta' for the Company which operates in the most inclusive manner in respect of its Tanseana Project. The ‘Premju Soċjetà Ġusta' is organised by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Persons with Disability and Active Ageing. This award was initially created as a celebration of the work, commitment and dedication being taken by the people involved in the disability sector; this year has introduced a prize for the most inclusive company. This award recognises employers that offer in-work opportunities to persons with disability and implement practices that go beyond what is required of them by law.
Most of the staff members engaged on this project are persons with various forms of disability who reside in Gozo. With the support of JobsPlus and the Lino Spiteri Foundation these employees carry out work related to Document Management services.
MaltaPost p.l.c has undertaken this project in the spirit of promoting inclusivity understanding, supporting, enhancing and focusing primarily on the abilities of disabled persons. The core principle that guides these Awards is to have a society whereby persons with a disability participate actively in the community.
MaltaPost p.l.c is very proud to have been the first company to have won this prestigious award and looks forward to strengthening its ‘Tanseana Project' to further help persons with disability.
Source : https://www.maltapost.com/news
Parcelforce Worldwide launches express24large service
January 16, 2019
Parcelforce Worldwide has launched a new next day tracked service - express24large – for sending and receiving larger items. Customers can buy online and Parcelforce Worldwide will collect the parcel from a home or business address; or customers can drop their parcels off at a local depot. Parcels can be up to 2.5 metres in length. The length and width combined should not exceed more than 5 metres. Individual parcels can weigh up to 30kg but there is no weight limit for the full consignment of parcels.
Each large parcel is fully tracked, so that customers can check the progress of their items through to delivery. Large parcels can be sent direct to the recipient, or picked up from their local depot.
Under the new service, parcels can be collected from customers the same day depending on the time of day the service is booked. Parcelforce Worldwide offers large parcel delivery services to the majority of UK destinations.
A spokesperson from Parcelforce Worldwide said “The launch of express24large aims to make it faster and more convenient to send and receive larger items via our parcel delivery service. At Parcelforce Worldwide, we are constantly looking to innovate and expand our services to cater to the needs of our customers.”
For help on how to correctly package and address a parcel for large parcel delivery, Parcelforce Worldwide has a comprehensive packaging guide.
Prices for Parcelforce Worldwide’s large parcel delivery service depend upon the customer’s chosen pickup and drop off options, so the fastest way to find the correct price for a parcel is to get a quote.
Source : https://www.royalmailgroup.com/en/press-centre/press-releases/parcelforce
Postal workers in U.S. protest in solidarity with Canada Post counterparts
Members of the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers part of protest
January 15, 2019
U.S. postal workers are gathering outside Canada’s embassy in Washington to protest the federal Liberal government’s decision to legislate their northern counterparts back to work.
Members of the American Postal Workers Union and the National Association of Letter Carriers are among those on Pennsylvania Avenue who are taking part in what they call a show of solidarity with Canada Post workers.
Ottawa passed legislation last November that required striking postal workers to resume their duties, appointing a mediator to arbitrate an end to the Crown corporation’s dispute with members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
Those efforts, led by Elizabeth MacPherson, former chairwoman of the Canada Industrial Relations Board, broke down in December and are expected to resume later this month.
That process is aimed at reaching arbitrated settlements that would be imposed on Canada Post and its 42,000 urban carriers and 8,000 rural and suburban employees.
During last year’s rotating walkouts, Canada Post requested that its foreign partners halt deliveries to Canada while job action was underway.
Source : https://www.castlegarnews.com/news
AUSTRALIA POST Delivered 40 Million Parcels In December
January 15, 2019
Australia Post delivered record Christmas volumes in December 2018, making it the biggest ever month for parcel volumes for the organisation.
The growing popularity of online shopping and online sales events, as well as strong Christmas Eve and Boxing Day sales, contributed to an 11.7 % increase from the previous December.
Australia Post Chief Operating Officer, Bob Black, said it was all hands on deck over the Christmas period with more than 3000 extra staff employed across the network to handle the huge volumes.
“We made more than 40 million parcel deliveries in December, and our hardworking posties delivered more than 40 % of these, as well as more than 210 million letters,” Mr Black said.
“Our busiest day was Monday 17 December, when we delivered a record three million parcels across the country – by far the biggest day in our history.
“What we didn’t expect was to have a lot of shoppers race to the finish line to post their festive parcels, with our people delivering a whopping 2.7 million items on Christmas Eve – our next busiest day of the month and equal second busiest day in history.”
Mr Black said Australians were embracing online shopping like never before, with Australia Post revealing last year that online purchases had grown by almost
20 % in 12 months.
“Our research found that people were buying up to 19.2 % more items online. By 2020, we expect one in 10 items will be bought online.
“Online shopping is building momentum as a channel of choice, where customers can make the most of online deals and choose customisable delivery options with Australia Post. This means online shoppers can buy the brands they love no matter where they live,” said Mr Black.
Source : https://postandparcel.info/99961/news/post
Dutch retailer taps Deliveroo for half-hour deliveries in Amsterdam
January 14, 2019
A new partnership between Dutch grocer Albert Heijn and Deliveroo will see them delivering hot meals in Amsterdam’s city centre.
The service, called Allerhande Kookt, will allow customers to receive meals from the grocer’s online recipe database within half an hour. The meals will be cooked by a team of chefs in Amsterdam West.
Delivery app Thuisbezorgd.nl will also take part in the project. The company has previously worked with Albert Heijn to deliver convenience products. Using electric bikes, the riders collect products from one of two AH to go stores in the city, with the trial running for two months before being evaluated.
Marit van Egmond, EVP of Commerce at Albert Heijn, said the move would meet an increasing demand amongst customers for home-cooked meals that they didn’t have to cook themselves.
“This is exactly what we are offering with our new service called ‘Allerhande Kookt’: the dishes that you would normally cook yourself, we can now make for you and you will get them nice and warm on the dinner table within half an hour.”
Deliveroo also worked with the Co-op on a delivery trial in the UK city Manchester. The trial took place at five stores in the Greater Manchester area to test consumer demand for a home delivery service.
Source : https://edelivery.net/2019/01