PUDO Inc., North America’s first carrier-neutral pick-up drop-off network has an agreement with global third-party logistics company Landmark Global Inc., part of the bpost group, to undertake a mutually beneficial arrangement for LGI and its customers to use PUDO’s network of parcel pick-up and drop-off locations, to enhance the last-mile e-commerce parcel delivery experience in Canada on Landmark’s new Sprintstar network.
“Sprintstar is a wholly owned subsidiary of bpost and manages a significant portion of Landmark Global’s last-mile delivery in Canada. The launch and branding of this service will take place over the next several weeks and will enable enhanced control of the client experience. A good example of that control is the addition of PUDO’s technology and Network to the Sprintstar network,” says Landmark Global VP Pricing and Marketing Peter Browne.
When the service commences this week, Sprintstar drivers will be able to leave packages at a secure and convenient PUDO location if the delivery recipient is not at home when the driver makes the initial delivery attempt. In addition, using the PUDO network of services, Landmark will be able to expand its Sprintstar service to many communities not previously served.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Landmark Global Inc.,” says PUDO CEO Kurtis Arnold. “The Agreement symbolizes proof of concept at all levels for us as we activate our network first in Ontario and Quebec, then synchronize with western and Maritime provinces, to help LGI extend their service offering on behalf of their e-commerce clients.”
Currently, third-party logistics companies act as fulfillment centres for large retailers and marketplace e-tailers, forward shipments across borders, manage parcel delivery, and reverse logistics. Regional ware-houses make the inventory and distribution process much more efficient for retailers, but complex issues related to individual ‘end of the last mile’ delivery and/or return transactions can reduce or eliminate those efficiencies, and in some cases, add considerable costs.
“The PUDO Network of pick-up/drop-off points strategically located very near to where people live, work, play, study, even vacation, can act as community staging hubs (think mini warehouses) for third party logistics companies — instantly extending their network and shortening the last-mile. Landmark can use these PUDOpoints in a variety of ways, as determined by geography, volume, seasonality, and consignee preference. Third party logistics companies operate based on volume and consistency, so the individualized and unpredictable issues related to placing parcels in consignee’s hands when they aren’t home, or facilitating return of unwanted or unsuitable purchases, throw a huge wrench into the works, and contribute to the parcel traffic control gridlock we see and read about as e-commerce experiences double-digit growth annually.”
Under the terms of the Agreement, PUDO will:
>Provide ‘hold for pick-up by consignee’ service in those cases where parcels are re-directed to a PUDOpoint by the intended recipient, or by Sprintstar when they are unable to deliver to the original address.
> Provide secure ‘break bulk’ distribution services (mini hub/community staging points) for Sprintstar to provide parcel delivery consolidation from regional fulfillment centres in locations previously not served by Sprintstar services.
On all occasions, PUDO’s plug-and-play technology for mobile and desktop will manage multi-platform tracking and logistics, and send notifications directly to consignees, providing pick-up or delivery alerts as warranted.
“We are extraordinarily pleased to — after more than two years building a stakeholder network and beta-testing systems and refining our technology — launch the logistics component of the PUDO Network across all verticals. We will remain focused on excellent and efficient deliverables for LGI, and on helping them extend their network and customer satisfaction,” concludes Arnold.
PUDO Inc. is developing North America’s only courier-neutral parcel pick-up/drop-off technology and logistics network, as a means of solving the last-mile parcel-traffic-control gridlock that is crippling the $550B e-commerce sector. E-commerce is faced with unprecedented cost control issues, based on disproportionately high last-mile delivery costs relating to undeliverable parcels, and parcels returning for refund or exchange. As labour and fuel costs increase in tandem with parcel traffic and volume, the problem worsens.
Landmark Global is the international division of bpost, Belgium’s national postal service. bpost employs more than 26,000 people, handles over 3.9 billion items per year, and delivers to more than five million addresses every day. For more than a decade, we have enabled our customers to expand globally. Our business has grown from basic international mail and parcel delivery to full service, end-to-end solutions. This includes proprietary technology and trade consulting which provide our clients the capability to sell to millions of customers worldwide.
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