Waiting for your package? Due to an enourmous peak in parcel delivery this could very well be, don't worry, your package is likely on its way but is subjected to delays.
The coronavirus has had major consequences for society as a whole for a long time. The logistics sector, including parcel delivery, plays an important role in this.
Due to the increasing number of infections, a hard lockdown has been in force in the Netherlands since 15 December. That means that almost everything is closed at least until January 19: from schools to non-essential shops and restaurants and museums.
A hard lockdown also has far-reaching impact for parcel delivery. The closure of physical stores and the usual end-of-year rush is expected to lead to an enormous flow of packages.
For example, a large part of the parcel points will close and delays due to busyness are inevitable. Therefore, keep in mind changes, which can change every day. We receive new updates from carriers every day and follow all developments closely.
Fortunately, parcel delivery continues as usual. However, carriers must act flexibly in order to continue to deliver. These are the main effects of the coronavirus on parcel delivery:
- Peak online orders
- Delay in parcel delivery
- Changes in collection points
- Changes to parcel delivery
- Capacity shortages at carriers
- Problems for returns
In April, the corona virus already led to a peak in online orders, with days with 175% more packages than usual. Now that non-essential stores have to close their doors, online orders are expected to go through the roof again. Especially in combination with the usual end-of-year rush.
In week 48, the number of packages as a result of Black Friday and Cyber Monday already took off. The package volume was then 88% higher than in a normal week. In fact, 253% more parcels were shipped than usual on Cyber Monday. The lockdown is expected to lead to another spike in online orders. Especially now that many consumers make their Christmas purchases online.
Delay in parcel delivery
In recent months, carriers have done everything they can to increase their capacity. However, delay is inevitable. The package volumes we see now are unprecedented. Create clear expectations with consumers and keep them well informed via track & trace.
During the corona peak in the spring, about 73% of Dutch consumers reported parcel delays, according to the E-commerce Delivery Compass. Fortunately this was on average limited to about 2 days. In times of crisis, the Dutch are prepared to wait an average of 5.4 days for their order. In general, consumers are therefore relatively patient!
Changes in collection points
Many carrier service points are located in physical stores. This means that collection points are closed in many cases. You must therefore take into account changes when it comes to service points.
If a package is currently in a closed location, it will be returned. For parcels en route to a collection point, an attempt is made to divert them to another location. If this fails, a shipment will still be returned. However, this process differs per carrier.
Many delivery services choose to offer parcels again at home on a second delivery attempt, instead of via a collection point. In this way, the pressure on the collection points that are still open remains limited. Later in the article you will find the changes per carrier.
Changes to parcel delivery
Parcel carriers are taking measures during the corona crisis to be able to deliver contactlessly. As a result, it is no longer possible for the recipient to sign for the receipt of the package.
Capacity shortages at carriers
The number of packages is higher than ever. Parcel carriers are therefore extra taxed. A number of carriers are taking extra measures to prevent networks from becoming overloaded. For example, some carriers have a limit on the number of packages they accept per pick-up. Keep this in mind. For example, consider spreading your packages over different delivery services.