Little in today’s multichannel world matters more than getting the goods to the customer in the most convenient way. Shoppers, now used to ordering anyhow, anywhere, anytime, are keen to take delivery at the moment that suits them. Retailers are going out of their way to bring orders to where customers are, and at times in their day that work for them.

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But why should merchants bother? It’s simple. Getting delivery right means traders win more sales, while those who don’t, miss out. For this reason the experts behind InternetRetailing are launching the eDelivery Expo (EDX), co-located at the renowned Internet Retailing Expo (IRX).

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With online sales predicted to reach £116bn in 2015* and 73% of consumers now buying goods for delivery**, EDX 2015 taking place at Birmingham’s NEC on March 25th and 26th will detail why retailers should be putting logistics and delivery at the heart of their ecommerce strategy.

IRX-763[2]The emergence of the ‘anytime-anywhere’ consumer has precipitated a growing demand for speedier online delivery and an array of more flexible customer options. Delivery and fulfilment are quickly becoming the point of differentiation for retailers vying to cash in on the growing commercial opportunities brought about by the rapid increase in online shopping.

Below, we single out some of the latest innovations in retail delivery – and collection – and consider why they work.

Home delivery

It may sound an obvious point, but home delivery works best when customers are at home. That’s why House of Fraser went to great lengths to develop a simple yet innovative delivery service in the autumn. Shoppers ordering online by 8pm can now specify delivery by 9am the next morning.

Announcing the new service, at Internet Retailing Conference 2014, Andy Harding, Executive Director, Multichannel, at House of Fraser, said: ““This is a key battleground, we believe and [in 2015] we’ll be launching even more options.”

Click and commute

Where could be more convenient to take delivery than on the way to and from work? Collection points are now firmly on the transport network map in the capital and beyond, with grocers including Asda, Waitrose, Tesco, Ocado and Sainsbury’s now giving shoppers the opportunity to pick up their internet orders in Transport for London stations.

Argos recently opened its smallest store to date in Cannon Street tube station. It promises same-day, next day and fast collection for online orders from the 170 sq ft Argos Collect branch. Using a hub and spoke logistics model, it says it can get any of 20,000 products to the shop in superquick time.

Round the clock

Even the retailer with the longest opening hours can’t match the round-the-clock availability of a locker bank. This alternative delivery method is now expanding quickly across the UK, and market leader InPost opened its 1,000th lockerbank in 2014, adding to a network that includes Victoria Coach Station and a number of Transport for London stations.

Retailers are now moving to open their own lockerbanks as well as using those operated by third parties. Waitrose, for example, has temperature-controlled lockers at London stations, while Amazon has opened its own lockerbanks at sites including Birmingham International Airport.

At the last minute

As shoppers grow accustomed to the idea of fast and convenient delivery, their expectations stretch still further. Same-day delivery is now a reality for a number of retailers. Traders such as Argos can fulfil orders from their stores: via the Shutl service it can deliver orders to nearby homes in as little as 15 minutes, or use its hub and spoke logistics to get a product into the right store for same day collection.

New Picture (2)Talking ahead of the EDX, speaker Guy Meisl, the Head of European Distribution at Deckers, said: “What fascinates me about logistics is how it involves the whole of a business; I touch every single part of our business and can therefore make a fundamental difference to what we’re doing. Now, the only way I can make that difference is if I know what the smart people are doing.”

At EDX over 7000 visitors will leave the two-days fully educated on the latest innovations and trends shaping the multichannel landscape.

With speakers from John Lewis, Wayfair, Shop Direct and Deckers, themes for the event will centre on delivering online shoppers in-store, look in depth at the delivery and logistics industry and discuss the best practices and success stories within it. It will combine more than 50 exhibitors, 4 workshops, 4 expert clinics and 2 conference streams and bring together the key issues and technologies for the sector.

Day One will of EDX 2015 will be themed Retail Delivery.

Retail Delivery will examine how retailers are managing the strategic and day-to-day operational challenges associated with new customer demands: What are the key logistical issues are impacting successful home delivery, click and collect, ship from store and locker collection? What are the implementation costs and challenges associated with various models? How can retailers win on both timing and profit margins?

Day Two will of EDX 2015 will be themed Retail Logistics.

Retail Logistics will examine how the rapid growth of online retail is impacting traditional infrastructures revealing new approaches for achieving efficiency, responsiveness and agility.

This is an opportunity to hear how leading retailers are getting to grips with new technologies and operational strategies designed to meet new customer demands and, by doing so, creating fit-for-future retail supply chains. Key topics will include: omnichannel, international growth and delivery, big data, sourcing, returns management and supplier collaboration.

For further information and to book your place now visit www.edeliveryexpo.com

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