DHL Express makes international online shopping easier2017-03-20

Auckland, 13 March, 2017: DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, has officially launched On Demand Delivery a new service that allows shippers and receivers globally to select from a range of flexible and convenient …DHL Express New Zealand makes international online shopping more convenient with On Demand Delivery

· On Demand Delivery offers flexible shipping options designed to enhance the customer experience for online shoppers

· The platform is tailored to meet the needs of a growing international e-commerce sector, where the majority of shipments are destined for residential addresses

· More than 220,000 shipments were delivered via On Demand Delivery in New Zealand in 2016, with ‘Collect from Service Point’ being the most popular option

Auckland, 13 March, 2017: DHL Express, the world’s leading international express services provider, has officially launched On Demand Delivery – a new service that allows shippers and receivers globally to select from a range of flexible and convenient delivery options.

In recent years, the e-commerce sector has experienced significant growth, with approximately 60 percent of shipments brought into New Zealand by DHL Express now headed for consumers mostly at residential addresses. Kiwi businesses are seizing this opportunity and are looking for ways to make purchasing online more attractive to consumers through ease of delivery services like On Demand Delivery.

The service was originally introduced in New Zealand on a trial basis in October 2015 and in 2016, more than 220,000 shipments were delivered using On Demand Delivery.

“The increase in consumers buying high-value and premium goods online has led to an upsurge in e-commerce deliveries. There has also been a large growth in start-up retailers who are expanding to new overseas markets and need a reliable and fast worldwide door-to-door delivery service,” commented Mark Foy, Country Manager, DHL Express New Zealand. “In response to this strong growth and to ensure that our services continue to exceed customer expectations, we have launched On Demand Delivery.”

With On Demand Delivery, shippers can choose to activate specific delivery options and have DHL Express notify their customers via email or SMS about a shipment’s progress. Receivers can then select the delivery option that best suits their requirements via the On Demand Delivery website.

The On Demand Delivery website is mobile optimized and can be accessed from any smartphone, tablet or PC, offering receivers up to six delivery options. Shippers can incorporate their own branding into customer notifications. Receivers can schedule a delivery, arrange delivery to a nearby DHL Service Point or their own alternate address, and even request that a shipment is put on hold while they are on vacation. Delivery instructions make their way in real-time to DHL Express couriers, ensuring shipments are received at the right time and at the convenience of the receiver.

From the trials, it was found that when reviewing customer preferences, the most popular option was ‘Collect from Service Point’ whereby receivers can specify a location where a parcel can be left without signature, which was chosen by 35 percent of consignees. The next most popular option was to ‘Reschedule Your Delivery’, selected by 32 percent of Kiwi consumers. Coming in third was ‘Signature Release’ chosen by 26 percent.

Mark added: “While On Demand Delivery is a strong technology tool that puts our customers at the heart of our business, it also represents a significant enhancement of our worldwide network. We have tailored our last-mile operations to meet the specific demands of cross-border e-commerce deliveries, and have provided more options to consumers to make the delivery of goods bought online as convenient as the purchase of them. Thanks to On Demand Delivery, we are enhancing the delivery experience for our customer’s customers, while improving our own efficiency, particularly for last-mile deliveries.”

On Demand Delivery is now available across Asia Pacific – including Australia, China, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand – and will be in more than 100 countries and available in 45 languages globally by the end of 2017, accounting for the majority of global trade and online retail activity.