Postal Hub podcast

InPost UK Chief Commercial Officer Jon Nicholson shares an overview of InPost UK's operations, the Yodel acquisition, and standing out in a competitive market.

• Overview of InPost UK's operations
• Journey from being a locker network to being an end-to-end carrier
• Offering returns as well as delivery
• InPost UK's PUDO network, including identifying potential PUDO sites
• InPost's acquisition of Yodel
• Creating national coverage and taking control of end-to-end logistics
• Investment in Menzies
• How does InPost UK try to stand out in a competitive market?
• Competitors shifting focus to out-of-home delivery
• Importance of quality and convenience at the right price
• Learning from InPost's experiences in Poland

Dominique Mamcarz, Director of Sustainability at Geopost, discusses Geopost's sustainability strategy and its recent Sustainability Report.

• Embedding sustainability in the Geopost business
• Geopost's sustainability programme
• A pragmatic approach to reducing Geopost's carbon footprint
• Measuring emissions reliably and customers' emissions reporting
• The role of Geopost's Carbon Calculator
• Breakdown of Geopost's carbon emissions
• Replacing diesel vehicles with electric vehicles
• Advances in electric vehicles and TCO
• Challenges in line haul, including biofuels and electrification
• Charging infrastructure and scheduling challenges
• Solar panels and making best use of Geopost facilities
• Producing and storing electricity at Geopost sites
• Future of sustainability at Geopost
• Preparedness for extreme weather events
• Low-emission, low-traffic, and green zones in city centres

Serial returners might think they are environmentally conscious, but new research shows they contribute a disproportionately high amount of emissions compared to other online shoppers. Assistant Professor Heleen Buldeo Rai from VUB Mobilise discusses:

• Increasing purchases and increasing returns
• The very high return rates for fashion
• Higher returns online compared to in-store purchases
• How to define "serial returners", including minimum threshold of purchases
• Environmental awareness of serial returners
• What causes serial returners to return goods bought online?
• Does the e-commerce sector have to take responsibility for encouraging this behaviour?
• Returns policies and consumer behaviour
• What tools could e-commerce retailers use to reduce returns?
• Retailer practices for resellable returned items
• Resale potential of returned items
• Sustainability implications of returns, and of serial return behaviour
• The distances returned items have to travel
• Serial returners are responsible for a disproportionate amount of emissions

The research "Consumer heterogeneity behind e-commerce returns and emissions" can be downloaded via a link on the Postal Hub Podcast website - thepostalhub.com

Phil Sambrook, EMEA Transport and Logistics Strategy at Zebra, discusses technology in the middle mile and last mile. We cover:

• The demand for speed
• How the middle mile sets up the last mile for success
• Using data to reduce WISMO queries
• Implementing technologies in sorting centres
• Productivity gains through implementing RFID
• Removing manual tasks through readily available automation technology
• Supply chain integrity improvements through machine vision and data driven insights
• Improving working conditions and safety for warehouse workers
• FedEx case study - photo proof of delivery with integrated AI
• Improving reliability and accuracy of photos, along with customer data security
• Evri case study - self-service parcel drop-off solution
• Queue busting and reducing waste

Episode sponsored by Zebra. Visit zebra.com for more information.

Kate Muth, Executive Director at International Mailers Advisory Group (IMAG) brings us up-to-date with the latest news on de minimis and EU customs reform.

• Indefinite suspension on US de minimis
• Customs and Border Protection (CBP) testing new informal entry type for shipments under $2500
• Changes to de minimis around the world
• Implications for postal operators
• Tariffs and the post
• De minimis exemption for genuine gifts
• EU customs reform
• Impact on goods under €150 entering the EU
• DDP, DDU, and EU customs reform
• Other cross-border and customs news

Scott Ashbaugh, CEO of DHL eCommerce Americas, discusses DHL's deal with the USPS and future trends in the US parcels market. We cover:

• A brief overview of DHL eCommerce Americas and its B2C delivery business
• The $10bn deal with US Postal Service
• How the partnership with the USPS works
• Direct injection of DHL parcels via USPS Parcel Select into USPS facilities
• How DHL eCommerce decided to partner with the USPS
• The reach and reputation of the USPS
• The future of the US parcel market
• The gig economy model's need for scale and its expansion issues in the USA
• Light and heavy parcels in the US parcel market
• DHL's history with smaller packages, and its growth to take on larger parcels
• Impact of COVID on automation and flexibility
• Using AI in back office operations
• Role of AI in sorting
• DHL eCommerce partnering with universities

Kristof Horvat, Innovation Projects at Eurosender, discusses solving fragmented cross-border e-commerce parcel delivery.

• Cross-border pain points for SMEs that are growing
• Contrast between domestic e-commerce and expanding into cross-border e-commerce
• Problems merchants face in managing multiple carriers across different countries
• Understanding parcel pricing, surcharges and dynamic pricing
• The role of platforms in cross-border e-commerce delivery
• The different kinds of platforms available to e-commerce sellers How postal operators can help e-commerce sellers expand beyond their domestic market
• Options available to postal operators for better international coverage
• Post Luxembourg case study

Postal and delivery expert Alan Barrie discusses the UK delivery scene, with a particular focus on out-of-home delivery.

• How InPost and Amazon fired up out-of-home delivery in the UK
• Royal Mail's Deliver to Neighbour service
• Mapping parcel delivery in London
• The inconvenience of online shopping
• Residential parcel lockers for home delivery
• Future of e-commerce parcel delivery
• When consumers order heavy or bulky goods online
• Helping shoppers make the delivery choice that's right for them
• Carbon measurement tools in delivery
• Outlandish claims about sustainability in delivery
• Nationwide walkable networks

Dean Maciuba, Founding Partner at Crossroads Parcel Consulting, discusses the future of out-of-home delivery in the USA.

• What the FedEx-InPost transaction means for FedEx exposure in Europe
• Learning from InPost about parcel locker operations
• The opportunity for parcel lockers in the USA
• Future opportunities to combine FedEx and InPost operations in Europe
• FedEx and Flying Tigers
• Parcel locker failures in the USA
• Targeted rollout of parcel lockers in key US markets
• FedEx's existing PUDO relationship with retailers
• Partnering with retailers or the USPS for parcel lockers
• Are parcels a priority for PUDO partner retailers?
• Is 24-hour access really a selling point?
• USPS and parcel lockers
• Leveraging the USPS post office network for parcels
• Understanding US consumer behaviour in parcels=
• Residential and rural delivery surcharges
• UPS and FedEx and e-commerce parcel delivery density
• Consolidating deliveries to out-of-home parcel collection points
• Residential parcel lockers

Julia Lockman, Junior Partner at OMNIC, explains how a parcel locker system is more than just infrastructure. We cover the key considerations for building a successful and coherent parcel locker system.

• There's no one-size-fits-all guide to launching a parcel locker network - context is crucial
• A systematic approach is needed when building a parcel locker network
• Start with the data, including peak volumes, customer ha
• Systems shape consumer behaviour
• Systems have measurable value, both for customers and for network operators
• Parcel locker systems must be natural - they don't care about the same things that delivery companies care about!
• Importance of external factors, such as access, car parking
• Choosing the right locker network for the market
• Factors such as climate and lifestyle have a huge impact on parcel locker networks
• Using data to increase chances of success in parcel lockers
• Interpreting data to build good business processes
• User experience is more than just the customer interface - processes are important
• Analytics should support forecasting, capacity planning, and proactive intervention
• How analytics can support decision logic, such as maximising utilisation rate
• Using data to optimise parcel locker networks, e.g. location management
• Parcel lockers aren't automatically "green" - customer behaviour and location management are crucial
• Bad decisions can destroy network efficiency