Canada Post’s express subsidiary Purolator is launching a new delivery service enabling online retailers to fulfil orders within 24 hours every day of the week as part of a five-year C$1 billion growth strategy.
The new Purolator QuickShip service gives businesses the opportunity to deliver products to consumers seven days a week with same-day or next-day delivery, including on Saturdays and Sundays.
“In the next five years, we anticipate that 50% of the delivery market in Canada will be direct-to-home, with consumers expecting quick and reliable deliveries at times that are convenient for them, like evenings and weekends,” said John Ferguson, President and CEO, Purolator.
“We’re listening and we’re acting. QuickShip is the first and only service available in Canada that provides businesses the ability to fulfil online orders the same day or next day with a guaranteed delivery time. It’s a premium service that gives our customers a completely new delivery option to meet consumers’ growing needs for choice, convenience and flexibility.”
Available in four of Canada’s largest metropolitan areas – Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Montreal, Ottawa and Vancouver – QuickShip is an addition to Purolator’s largest selection of guaranteed, time-definite shipping options, allowing customers to choose the speed of service they need and ensure consumers receive their packages by the day and time they expect.
According to the company, 86% of Canadian adults now buy online, with the vast majority of online shoppers (68%) doing so in the evening, especially between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
In terms of deliveries, two-thirds of Canadian online shoppers (67%) are “somewhat satisfied” with the time it takes to receive their packages as compared to 20% who are “extremely satisfied.”
Retailers rank “speed of delivery” second only to “product availability” as a top consideration for their online customers. A high 71% of retailers agree that creating smarter and more efficient shipping practices will contribute to a better experience for their customers.
Purolator, which last year had revenues of C$1.8 billion and delivered more than 250 million parcels, said that QuickShip is part of its new five-year C$1 billion delivering the future growth and innovation investment plan, which is focused on accelerating customers’ digital experiences and driving growth for businesses of all sizes.
Under this plan, which was announced last month, the fast-growing express courier firm will open a C$330 million national hub near Toronto in 2021 to triple its overall capacity, add a separate C$8.5 million local terminal for the Canadian metropolis later this year, invest in other regional network expansions, modernise its fleet with 1,000 new vehicles by end-2020, and improve customer services with more access points.
