Belgium’s bpost said today it will test making bulk home deliveries at times fixed by therecipient in its latest e-commerce move.
The company will launch tests in several Belgian towns over the coming months and if they provesuccessful then it plans to start rolling out a nationwide service from next year onwards. Thetests will enable bpost to gain experience and judge the viability of such a service.
Under the scheme, bpost will deliver all kinds of products in one single bulk delivery. Thesecould include goods from supermarkets or local shops, large stores or online retailers. The companysaid it has already sealed delivery agreements with different national chains, suppliers and localpartners.
The company will set up an ‘open national platform’ enabling consumers to state when and wherethe goods should be delivered. Recipients can decide whether goods should be delivered as one bulkdelivery. Moreover, consumers can also instruct bpost to collect parcels or return goods from theirhomes. The platform will also offer secure online payment of goods and delivery.
The project was “strategically important” as home delivery could start to replace declining mailvolumes over the long term, bpost explained. It responded to increasing demand for e-commercesolutions, including home deliveries at a time of the recipient’s choosing. This would improvecustomers’ quality of life and was also more environmentally friendly as one bulk delivery wouldreplace several deliveries of individual goods.
Johnny Thijs, bpost’s CEO, highlighted the business potential of the new service. “There isconsiderable potential for this service. 75% of Belgians prefer home delivery of the goods thatthey buy online.” He told staff in an internal message: “This could be our growth project ‘parexcellence’ for the future. I hope to be able to launch this at the end of this year.”
The pilot scheme will be conducted in the towns of Sint-Niklaas, Turnhout, Grammont and a fourthtown yet to be decided. In Sint-Niklaas, some 800 families will participate in the test. They willbe able to select evening deliveries between 17.00 and 21.00 or one weekly bulk delivery byappointment. The test will be carried out between April and December in cooperation with InCityS,an online network of local shops and services. Several national chains will also test the deliveryservice here.
In Turnhout, the test will also run between April and December in cooperation with localauthorities and local retailers. The 150 participating families will be able to select deliveriesby appointment in the morning or afternoon. Tests in the other towns will be similar.
