As this year’s turkey comes out of the oven, many consumers are thinking ahead to the deals they want to get on Black Friday and throughout Cyber Week. Those deal-savvy shoppers are looking for just about everything, from big screen TVs to basketball hoops to boughs of holly.
Online sellers who offer easy, reliable, transparent delivery can shine, especially since these big and bulky items are difficult for shoppers to get home by themselves.
Oversized goods, or those items weighing 50 or more pounds and/or measuring 48-plus inches, don’t fit into the average fulfillment and delivery system. In an industry built on standardization and efficiency, big and bulky items disrupt the usual flow of logistics, causing problems for retailers and turning away potential customers.
Early cut-off times imposed by carriers, the complexity of managing multiple carriers and the extra resources required to process oversized orders are just a few of the challenges retailers face. The results are inconsistent, slower and more expensive deliveries — inconveniences most often passed onto their customers.
Overcoming the obstacles of big and bulky delivery this holiday season requires retailers to focus on several goals, including:
- Adopting cross-docking
- Streamlining operations across your network
- Simplifying packaging requirements
- Focusing on a consistent, repeatable customer experience
Retailers who prioritize these goals are one step closer to getting those big and bulky items under (or maybe next to) the tree just in time for the holidays — even on last-minute purchases.
Leverage third-party cross-docking
Many consumers can’t see and, frankly, don’t care about the logistical hurdles of oversized delivery. They expect a quick, reliable delivery no matter the item’s size; and when it comes to holiday shopping, knowing your item will arrive on-time and undamaged is critical when making purchasing decisions. Because uncertain delivery windows and flexibility between small and oversized items can lead to cart abandonment and lost sales, retailers are looking for better solutions. Rather than trying to reinvent the wheel with options that are too expensive or too complex, retailers are finding success by combining cross-docking and crowdsourced delivery.
A recent survey report from Roadie found that more than four in five (82%) respondents have addressed a portion of their big and bulky delivery challenges by outsourcing the cross-docking of these goods. Leveraging a third-party provider allows retailers to free up valuable warehouse space taken up by large, awkward items, resulting in more efficient and productive distribution centers. That efficiency translates to cost savings and a better customer experience, increasing conversion, basket sizes and loyalty.
RoadieXD™, a new and rapidly expanding network of cross-docks, combines cross-docking with on-demand last-mile delivery, enabling retailers to offer ultrafast delivery speed, visibility and flexibility around delivery windows. RoadieXD™ is currently available in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Miami and New York City, with new locations quickly growing.
RoadieXD™ cross-docking starts with a consolidated load of oversized items that are transported LTL or FTL to a cross-dock facility. As orders are unloaded, sorted and staged for delivery drivers to pick up, the Roadie platform matches independent drivers with the right vehicles and equipment. Drivers arrive at the cross-dock within hours of the trailers to pick up multiple deliveries in a cost-effective and highly efficient batch for delivery by the end of the day — sometimes as far as 100 miles from the cross-dock facility.
With this combined solution operating in markets across the U.S., retailers eliminate the complexity of managing a network of multiple delivery partners for varying zip codes or SKUs. By uniting the logistics benefits of cross-docking big and bulky goods with an ultrafast, crowdsourced delivery model, retailers streamline network operations with standard procedures through a single partner while delivering faster and more affordably. It’s a win-win-win for retailers, logistics managers and customers.
Rethink packaging, labor and equipment needs
Oversized delivery fees aren’t the only costs to consider when it comes to big and bulky items. Some carriers also require additional packing or wrapping of bulky items before they will accept them. Plus, the extra labor and equipment needed to get large and heavy items from the truck to the customer’s doorstep can add up fast.
With Roadie you can eliminate packaging requirements for items, and the crowdsourced delivery network will match your needs with a driver and vehicle equipped with hand trucks or trailers as needed. Compared to traditional or LTL carriers, even these added services result in significant cost savings. Plus, taking the packaging requirements out of the delivery equation speeds up the process, allowing items to move through the warehouse and out the door faster and more efficiently.
Forget about cut-off times with more flexible options
Early cut-off times from traditional carriers are one of the most frustrating aspects of shipping oversized items. During the multiple shipping spikes of retail peak season, this could be the difference between a merry or a scary Christmas. While most carriers set cut-off times in the early to late afternoon, research by Zendbox found that 35% of online orders are placed between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
RoadieXD™ allows retailers to offer extended cut-off times for oversized goods and take advantage of this prime online shopping time. Retailers can accept and fulfill those orders for delivery the next day, even combining oversized and smaller items in the same order. As long as trailers arrive at the RoadieXD™ facility by noon, orders are delivered to recipients by end of day.
Crowdsourced delivery also provides flexibility around delivery windows. Because oversized items are logistically challenging for traditional carriers, customers often are forced to schedule deliveries around a narrow window rather than when it is convenient for them. With the Roadie on-demand driver network, retailers have access to nearly unlimited same-day delivery windows that can be adjusted when customers need them to be, not just when retailers can make them available.
Big and bulky items are sometimes even delivered at a different time than small parcels that easily fit into trucks. Rather than fitting oversized items into their existing routes, carriers deliver them separately, causing extended delivery times and slowing down the overall process.
Crowdsourcing allows for better scheduling flexibility, giving customers a consistent delivery experience no matter the size of the package. The results? A better customer experience, higher satisfaction ratings and a lifetime repeat customer.
