DPD has launched B2C deliveries from the UK to 12 major export destinations in Europe andoverseas to profit from the boom in international online orders from UK e-retailers.
DPD UK said the new ‘DPD Direct’ service is a dedicated B2C home delivery service aimed atreducing not only the cost of international home deliveries, but also the hassle. The servicesimplifies all the customs and duty issues for retailers, provides a full tracking and returnsservice and generates in-country delivery date notifications for recipients, in their ownlanguage.
Fashion firm River Island and jewellery retailer Rocks TV are among the first customers for DPDDirect, which is currently available to the 12 largest international markets for UK retailers. Theservice is being offered in cooperation with Worldnet Direct, a start-up international e-commercelogistics company in which GeoPost bought a strategic stake last year.
Dwain McDonald, DPD UK’s CEO, commented: “UK brands are in demand worldwide and UK e-retailersare in a fantastic position to exploit these key markets. However, historically, global shippinghas been expensive and often complicated by delivery delays due to customs and excise and, as aresult many UK-based e-retailers have been reluctant to target overseas customers. Our mission isto help retailers break down the barriers to growth in ecommerce and DPD Direct gives e-retailers afast, cost-effective solution to the challenge of international home delivery.”
Product features include:
* Simple pricing structure – without the need for complex volumetric charges.
* Despatch to receipt tracking service – DPD Direct enables e-retailers to track each parcelat every stage of its outbound journey and final confirmation of delivery.
* Local delivery expertise – established home delivery network within each local countrymeans that international customers receive the best possible service and expertise.
* Fast customs clearance – all customs requirements are taken care of to ensure parcelsreceive express customs clearance, negating the requirement to produce accompanying invoices.
* Parcels delivered Duty paid – ensures an efficient and quick passage through customs.
* In country notifications – the recipient will be sent an email notification about theirparcel, in their own language.
“Delivery costs and options are key factors in determining the overall price and attractivenessof online goods. DPD Direct has been developed to increase the appeal of cross-border commercethrough a competitive, transparent pricing structure, the security of a full tracking service andstreamlining the customs requirements. Through DPD Direct our aim is to make it as easy for UKe-retailers to sell to customers living in Sydney as Southampton,” McDonald said.
Under the product offering, DPD UK collects the parcels from the e-retailers in the UK andtransports them to Worldnet Direct’s international gateway at London Heathrow Airport. Worldnetthen handles the air freight and customs paperwork and flies the shipments on various airlines tothe destination markets where final delivery to recipients is made by local partners.
A DPD UK spokesman said although DPD has its own European network the company had deliberatelypartnered with “the B2C/internet home delivery specialist in each territory”.
The partners are DHL in Germany, TNT Post in the Netherlands and Belgium (also covered by DPD)and An Post in Ireland, all offering delivery in 3-4 days. France is covered by Coliposte (deliveryin 3-5 days), Luxembourg by DPD (3-5 days), Spain and Portugal by Seur (4-5 days) and Italy byBartolini (4-6 days). USPS is delivering to US addresses in 4-7 days, Australia Post in its homemarket in 6-9 days and Fastway Couriers in New Zealand in 7-8 days.
In August 2012, DPD parent company GeoPost, La Poste’s international express parcels subsidiary,invested in Worldnet Direct with the aim to create an international B2C delivery offering. Worldnetoffers delivery to 24 countries, according to its website, and its customers include leadingBritish online retailer ASOS.
