On-demand delivery has been a growing trend since the early 2000s, fulfilling customers’ immediate needs by offering quick & convenient deliveries of goods & services. On-demand delivery cropped up as a full-fledged delivery type ever since.
On-demand hyperlocal delivery whether done in hours or even minutes is not just restricted to delivery of grocery or food items. Traditional brands are selling every on-demand commodity that customers want, be it medicine, flowers, or utility items as basic as handkerchiefs.
On-demand delivery is time and cost-efficient only because brands are investing in on-demand delivery software that helps optimise resource utilisation, dispatch management, and delivery orchestration.
On-demand delivery is a process where e-commerce or delivery brands aim to provide delivery of products or parcels at a faster pace or customers’ preferred turnaround time.
End customers have the autonomy to set delivery preferences as per their specific needs. They can select the delivery date and time slot.
On-demand delivery logistics aims at keeping customer convenience at the forefront. This process is backed by modern automation-driven delivery scheduling and dispatching technology.
Right from dispatching to final delivery — here’s how the entire on-demand hyperlocal delivery process unfolds.
Order Placing Online
Order Confirmation & Preparation by Retailer
Order Assignment to Riders
Dispatching & Delivery Planning
Delivery Execution & Tracking
Successful Delivery and Customer Feedback Collection
Here are the on-demand delivery benefits explaining why venturing into quick commerce is the next-best market for last-mile businesses to incentivize on.
Do you know that 3 out of 5 customers shop from brands that offer diverse delivery options? Modern customers prefer fast deliveries and expect every brand to offer delivery on-demand. It could be a competitive advantage for brands that want to scale and grow.
In 2022 alone, over 3 bn people worldwide utilized online food delivery services. Among them, almost 1.2 bn individuals relied on grocery delivery platforms, while around 1.8 bn opted for meal delivery services. Thus, a great opportunity to win over customers' needs.
On-demand delivery sales are done through online platforms. This further eliminates the need for investing in a physical store, making the associated daily operational costs for rent, electricity bills, and staff compensation – slim to none.
It hurts and costs on-demand delivery businesses to re-attempt deliveries. On-demand deliveries reduce missed deliveries as customers are getting the flexibility to choose slots, edit locations, or reschedule delivery.
Customers love it when they get flexibility in choosing their delivery items and delivery slots. On-demand hyperlocal delivery platforms offer flexible, customer-centric platforms which are always a hit.
Almost 90% of online shoppers are millennials. Their need for quick, convenient (or impulse) deliveries has led to the rise of the following types of on-demand delivery solutions or apps.
The market will grow by $266.05 billion between 2023 and 2027 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 24.64%.
The market will reach $2,159 billion by the end of 2030, with a CAGR of approximately 26% between 2022 and 2030.
The market will reach $80.5 billion by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28%.
In 2022, the online flower delivery market was valued at over $27 billion, and it's projected to reach $10.1 billion by 203.
The market will reach $658.3 billion by 2031. It is growing at a CAGR of 5.7%,
On-demand delivery processes (when managed through outdated or poor technological platforms) pose challenges that retailers have to bear. Here are some logistics challenges in the on-demand delivery process.
Last-mile businesses usually don’t have access to cost-effective and time-efficient delivery routes for drivers.
Delivering on time is a necessity for last-mile operators. It’s hard to predict traffic, weather, and unforeseen circumstances on the delivery route.
Unpredictable demand during booming or peak seasons is often challenging to fulfill as most businesses are not prepared with an optimum workforce.
Without on demand delivery solutions, it gets tough to manage the availability and scheduling of drivers as per fluctuating demand.
Operators often find it challenging to balance quick deliveries with cost-effectiveness.
In a fast-paced environment, it's tough to maintain communication between drivers, customers, and dispatch teams.
Up-to-date tracking information is often missing. Customers often don’t receive accurate order status, progress, ETA, and tracking ID to locate delivery riders.
Lacking integration with advanced technologies like last mile delivery software that helps with efficient carrier and order matching and dispatch management.
Last-mile or on-demand delivery businesses are required to stay prepared for the dynamic market conditions and have solutions that help keep up the supply chain technological trends. The use of on demand delivery software is a must for businesses to fast-track deliveries.
Note - What's the commonality that makes all of them so great and renowned? They are backed by powerful, AI-driven last-mile delivery software that oils their engine for resource scheduling, dispatching, on-demand delivery tracking to fulfill on-time, first-attempt deliveries.
Here are some figures suggesting how big the on-demand delivery market is (or is going to be). Explain how now is the best time for on-demand delivery platforms to crop up.
TrackoMile, as a last-mile, on demand delivery software, equips last-mile delivery businesses with the following features that let businesses optimise their delivery resources and operations to ensure on-time deliveries.
Here are some key features of our on-demand delivery solution from a business POV:The system runs on smart algorithms that factor variables like traffic, weather, delivery windows, etc to help plan the most cost and time-efficient routes.
Silver lining - This further helps save operational costs as well.
The software helps track drivers and deliveries in real-time. It gives a 360-degree view of every moving phase of the delivery process. Plus, ETAs and order status are easily conveyed to the customer expecting the delivery.
Silver lining - This helps look into any issues or last-minute changes proactively.
The software’s carrier management feature makes assigning orders to the right vehicles easy based on size, capacity, and load restraints. It even lets you set parameters such as a maximum number of items per vehicle, weight, and volume depending on the size of the vehicles. This helps optimise carrier utilisation.
The software knows the drill of how to auto-assign deliveries to drivers based on their proximity, availability, skillset, and 50+ factors.
Silver lining - This helps remove the guesswork and speed up the dispatching process.
With analytical dashboards and insightful reports around each delivery process and rider activities, it gets easy to gain insights about gaps or scope in the delivery performance.
Silver lining - Dispatchers get insightful data to take corrective measures or build robust strategies.
With multiple delivery slots, it’s easy for end-users to enjoy flexible and contactless deliveries at preferred drop-off locations.
The software makes it effortless to capture multiple ePOD formats such as digital signatures, barcode scans, picture clicks, custom notes, and more. The quick ePOD submission helps verify deliveries at assigned locations.
Live tracking of their ordered items in real-time with precise ETA telling when they will receive their products.
Customers receive real-time delivery notifications and updates or status through email, SMS, or push notifications.
Flexibility in choosing delivery slots. They get options to select the date, and time slot along with the location of delivery — with ease.
Option to communicate with the driver through chat or phone calls to get informed about delivery updates.
Options to manage returns and schedule pickups effortlessly directly through the platform.
Have some more looming doubts about On-Demand Hyperlocal Delivery? Here are your answers!
On-demand delivery is when any on-demand goods or services are delivered in a short period or as prescribed by end costumes. The process is facilitated via mobile apps or websites. Popular brands like Dunzo, BlinkIt, and Country Delight are a few Indian pioneers in the on-demand delivery segment.
Behind on-demand delivery services, there are experts responsible for optimising the last mile of delivery. They equip fast-paced hyperlocal businesses with on-demand delivery management software for efficient routing and real-time tracking that helps reduce the time and resources required to push goods from fulfillment centers to customers' doorsteps.
Sources suggest that the on-demand food delivery market will soon hit $161.74 Billion by 2023. It’s a great time to invest in the on-demand delivery module as millions of mobile users are willing to spend extra just to enjoy fast and convenient at-door service. Investing in on-demand delivery apps is a great move as it’s profitable and sustainable.
Fast-paced hyperlocal businesses looming around grocery stores, pharmacies, milk booths, and florists benefit from the use of on demand delivery software.
The process of on-demand delivery takes place through digital platforms, specifically mobile apps or web apps. The platform helps place orders, the same is assigned to nearby riders and the order is delivered according to the customer's prescribed delivery slot.
To start an on-demand delivery business, maintain an inventory of goods you want to sell and onboard a last-mile delivery app that lets you: - Manage order requests and align them to the suitable rider and carrier. - Have real-time visibility on the dispatch and delivery operations. - Match orders with the riders and carriers based on each of these skills, proximity, capacity, and other 50+ conditions. - Plan efficient routes after factoring in variables like traffic, distance, priority, and other 120+ critical factors. - Effortlessly take proof of orders delivered via OTP, e-signature, bar code scans, and more.
On average, the cost of an on-demand delivery management app can vary according to the features, functionality, and level of customisation needed.