Wednesday, June 07, 2023

Office Deliveries Driving Ecommerce Economy


 

Consumer body, Which?, have pointed out that one of the major drawbacks of shopping online at the moment are delivery problems. In fact, one in four of the people they surveyed reported having problems with deliveries from online retailers. 17% complained of late deliveries while 36% stated that the major problem was not being able to choose a convenient delivery time. A further 26% found that not being informed of the delivery time to be a difficulty of shopping online.

Big vs Small Companies

Big companies are finding ways to overcome these delivery problems like Google who are looking to dominate the market by introducing a same day delivery service to use in partnership with other companies such as Costco. They have trialled this in some cities in the US and are now rolling the scheme out across other parts of the country. It is easy to imagine what an impact this could make to online shopping if they were to offer this service worldwide. Amazon, however, are fighting back by launching a same day delivery service in the UK this year where parcels will be delivered to the customer's choice of over 500 newsagents and convenience stores around the country. The customer can then collect the parcel at their convenience.

With huge distribution networks at their disposal, this kind of scheme seems plausible for very large companies but what about small businesses? Website practicalecommerce.com suggests that small and medium sized companies need not feel like they won't be able to compete in the marketplace these innovations will create. 
 
They have a number of ideas that could make same day delivery a possibility for any company, regardless of size:
  • For small or medium sized businesses, they do not think it is unreasonable to ask customers to pay extra for this service and for same day delivery to be, initially perhaps, restricted to certain parts of the country.
  • With the 'paying extra' idea in mind, they also suggest using courier services which already offer same day delivery such as UPS or FedEx.
  • Fulfilment services could also be used to reach a wider geographical area with a smaller number of products.
  • It could also be beneficial for small businesses selling the same products to work together to help each other fulfil orders in different parts of the country.
Even without providing same day delivery, smaller companies could utilise the fact that delivery is something that concerns potential customers by making sure their delivery system is efficient and displaying this fact very clearly on their website. 
 
This would be particularly pertinent in the lead up to Christmas when people start to worry that their gifts may not be delivered on time. Online marketing campaigns could be created to specifically target customers who are searching for last minute or express delivery options as well as highlighting these aspects of the business to people making more generic searches.

Problem Solved?

Therefore, by picking out one area of concern for customers, small and medium sized companies can compete with big business. Listening to consumer concerns and monitoring buying habits can provide invaluable information for companies to run very specific and targeting marketing campaigns which are far more effective strategies for smaller businesses.

Monday, March 20, 2023

Navigating the Serviced Office UK Market in 2023

 

Trends, Opportunities & Challenges

The rapid evolution of the business landscape demands adaptability, flexibility, and a keen understanding of emerging trends, especially when it comes to workspace solutions. The serviced office UK market is no exception to this rule. 

In this blog post, we delve into the key trends, opportunities, and challenges that shape the serviced office UK market in 2023, offering valuable insights and guidance for business owners, CEOs, and managing directors looking to make informed decisions in selecting the ideal workspace solution for their company's unique needs.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Essential Free Software for Businesses and Home Offices

You may have just bought a new laptop or thinking of starting up your own small business - home or office based. Whatever the case may be, let's see if we can get you set up in under 1 minute! Some time ago we talked about the top 5 Software Every Office Needs.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Make your PC greener with Ecobutton

Want to save power without reducing your computer’s performance? Look no further than Ecobutton, a simple-to-use gadget that shifts your PC or laptop into energy saving mode when you’re not using it.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Revolutionary Pen Designs

Note making can be dull but, with these super modern pens on the market, it doesn't have to be.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

10 Time Saving Tips

The Flying Solo Micro Business Community have compiled an extensive list of time saving tips from their members.  Here are some of the best ones:

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

10 Things to Make Your Office Fun and Inspiring Again


On average, we spend 40 hours a week at work, 160 a month and 1920 a year. That is why it is so important to make your time at work as fun and as inspiring as possible.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The Ultimate Office Perks

Back in the day, it felt like a real treat when you could pinch a few biscuits from a meeting and be allowed to leave fifteen minutes early on a Friday afternoon.  Nowadays the top firms are so determined to hire and keep the best staff that they are offering outrageous perks that wouldn't have even been dreamt of years ago. Here are some examples of the most extravagant office perks:

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Essential Office Supplies for Starting a Business

When you start a new business there are lots of important and useful office supplies that you need. You might not know all of them, or some of them you might forget about. This guide covers the essentials that you need for efficiency when you start up.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

10 Essential Things You Should Have At Your Office Desk

We spend a lot of our lives sitting at our desk and that is why we need to kit them out with the everyday essentials and little touches which make our days bearable. For many, your desk at work is like a second home.