From BOGOs to loyalty rewards to online-only sales, e-commerce has been gamified into a $6.3 billion industry, and shoppers can’t stop playing. But if online shopping is a giant game of Mall Madness, last-mile logistics is the world’s largest game of Tetris — and big and bulky orders are the dreaded “S” block in delivery carriers’ perfectly organized trucks.
Traditional carriers might not come out and say they don’t want your big and bulky deliveries, but they’ll certainly make sending them more difficult. So how can senders keep playing the game?
Crowdsourced delivery gives you the cheat codes you need to level up in the growing big and bulky delivery market. Read on to learn which deterrents to keep an eye out for when working with traditional carriers, and how crowdsourcing helps you and your customers win big.
Five ways traditional logistics deter big and bulky orders
In 2023 alone, an estimated 356 billion packages shipped worldwide. That number is expected to grow to 498 billion by 2028, and the share of last-mile deliveries that fall into the big and bulky category is growing too. According to industry research, the big and bulky last-mile delivery market will grow by 11.8% annually through 2025, furniture will become the second largest category for e-commerce sales through 2027, and online sales of household appliances will grow at 7.5% annually through 2028.
As shoppers are ordering bigger and bigger items online, traditional carriers are trying to make it more and more difficult to have them delivered economically. Here are just a few of the tactics they use:
- Surcharges. Carriers often impose additional fees for handling big and bulky items, ostensibly to cover the extra resources required for transportation and delivery. In some cases, they may even stack their surcharges, like charging separate fees for handling, transportation and using a dolly or hand truck upon delivery.
- Higher insurance costs. Tack one more fee onto those surcharges. Big and bulky items may be at a higher risk of damage or loss during transit and can also be among the more expensive items consumers purchase online — think furniture, televisions and kitchen appliances. This combination of value and risk leads carriers to require more insurance to get items to their destinations.
- Extended delivery times. Small parcels are easy to pack into trucks and send out on smooth, predictable delivery routes. Big and bulky items, not so much. Rather than fitting into their existing routes, carriers may decide that large items need a separate delivery, which lengthens the overall time between order and doorstep.
- Volume discounts. Rather than — or, perhaps, in addition to — penalizing big and bulky senders with surcharges, some carriers also incentivize smaller orders with volume discounts. These reduced rates reward senders that opt for smaller, more manageable deliveries and avoid oversize items.
- Packaging requirements. As if bulky orders weren’t big enough already, some carriers will require special packaging for oversize items, including crating or plastic wrapping. These requirements can create more labor and materials costs on the sender’s end, not to mention more waste for the customer to deal with upon delivery.
Win the big and bulky delivery game with crowdsourcing
Crowdsourced delivery with RoadieXL™ is the perfect power-up to overcome big and bulky delivery challenges. Unlike traditional carriers, the Roadie platform applies all the same benefits of crowdsourcing to any delivery, no matter the size, shape or weight.
- Transparent pricing. Forget hidden fees and stacked surcharges. With Roadie, you can expect to lower your big and bulky delivery fees — and you’ll see down-to-the-penny pricing right from the start.
- No packaging. No special wrapping, crating or packing is required here. Roadie enables you to deliver your orders regardless of size or shape so you can save the labor, save the material costs and save the planet.
- Vehicle matching. The Roadie network of 200,000 independent drivers means the type and size of vehicle you need is ready, no matter where you are. Whether you need an open-air trailer or drivers with handling equipment, the Roadie platform matches your order with the appropriate transportation.
- Ultrafast delivery. The size of your delivery shouldn’t hinder it from getting to your customer’s doorstep fast. Easily scale with the Roadie network and ensure your last-mile deliveries are delivered the same day they’re picked up.
Traditional carriers have been go-to players in the logistics game for a long time, but as ecommerce has increased, senders find they need to be more agile. The Roadie network is an ideal complement to your existing logistics strategy — especially when orders call for tricky moves like big-and-bulky deliveries on a deadline. When your usual carriers’ capabilities keep you from getting to the next level, RoadieXL™ can put your brand’s name at the top of the leaderboard quickly and economically.
Whether your customers are shopping for sofas and big-screen TVs or construction materials and equipment, learn how RoadieXL™ can help you level up your big and bulky game.
