Modern Shipper | Alternative delivery: Does it have a place in e-commerce?
by Brian Straight, managing editor | April 18, 2022
Proponents say it reduces cost and environmental footprint of delivery, but research suggests its reach may be limited
Each week, Paul Kenyon logs onto his computer, places his weekly grocery order from Walmart, and clicks the "pick up in store" option. A few days later, he drives to his nearest Rhode Island Walmart — about 8 miles away — and collects his order.
It is a routine he picked up at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to social distance. But Kenyon, who is retired, is an outlier. He lives in a suburban community and is generally older than the typical customer choosing an alternate pickup location for his online order.
Recent research suggests that customers picking up their items at alternate locations tend to skew younger, so it is the ability of providers to reach people like Kenyon that could determine how widespread the future of alternative delivery locations (ADLs) become.
It is a routine he picked up at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to social distance. But Kenyon, who is retired, is an outlier. He lives in a suburban community and is generally older than the typical customer choosing an alternate pickup location for his online order.
Recent research suggests that customers picking up their items at alternate locations tend to skew younger, so it is the ability of providers to reach people like Kenyon that could determine how widespread the future of alternative delivery locations (ADLs) become.
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