Door-to-door delivery is one of the most talked about aspects of eCommerce. It is a benefit many businesses offer where a product or service is delivered to a customer’s doorstep or given address.
Most companies (across industries) can deliver their products to their customers through the door-to-door delivery method as long as the products are logistically viable and legally permissible. The practice is common with many products, including but not limited to apparel, groceries and other goods.
The door-to-door delivery process generally begins with a user placing an order with a business (seller) or eCommerce retailer. After receiving the order, the seller then processes the order for shipment and arranges for a courier to pick up the package. The seller may or may not have an in-house courier service to deliver orders.
Nowadays, many successful brands use door-to-door delivery to stand out from the competition and take their businesses to the next level in terms of customer satisfaction and profit margins.
The Flow of Door-To-Door
The flow of a door-to-door delivery involves various steps, including:
- Order Placement: The customer places orders with a business (seller) or online retailer. The customer also provides the address (including name and contact numbers) where the order should get delivered.
- Shipment Manifestation: In this step, the seller readies the order for shipping, including packaging, labelling and creating shipping documents.
- Pickup: The courier picks up the order from the seller.
- In Transit: The package starts its journey to its destination city or town through a network of hubs.
- Transportation to Local Facility: The order reaches a warehouse nearest to the recipient’s address.
- Order Delivery: The courier company picks up the package from the local facility and delivers the same directly to the recipient.
- Proof of Delivery: The customer receives the receipt confirming the order delivery.
In a nutshell, door-to-door delivery involves multiple steps (depending on the origin and delivery locations, types of packages, courier companies, etc.). Also, various stakeholders work in tandem to ensure prompt and smooth order delivery.
Who Offers Door-To-Door Delivery Service
India is one of the largest eCommerce markets in the world. As per an India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) study, the eCommerce market in India will likely hit US$ 111 billion by 2024 and US$ 200 billion by 2026. These numbers are overwhelming and suggest that the eCommerce ecosystem in India is huge in many ways.
Businesses of all sizes and domains offer door-to-door delivery to their customers. While companies operating in many fields provide doorstep delivery, consumer electronics, apparel, food and grocery, jewellery and furniture are some of the leading segments where businesses offer door-to-door delivery.
According to another IBEF report, here is the list of shares of various segments in eCommerce (offering doorstep delivery) retail by value:
- Consumer electronics- 40%
- Apparel- 40%
- Food and grocery- 7%
- Jewellery- 7%
- Furniture- 4%
- Others- 2%
Companies provide doorstep delivery banking on two types of services—in-house and third-party courier services.
Advantages of Door-To-Door Delivery
There are several benefits of doorstep delivery. Usually, the notion is that the end users are the biggest beneficiaries of door-to-door deliveries. However, the fact is that many parties, including but not limited to sellers, courier companies and customers, are benefited from door-to-door delivery.
There’s no doubt that the option to sell online has helped many businesses earn more and grow successfully. Here are some of the benefits of door-to-door delivery:
Single Point of Contact
One of the primary reasons why many prefer door-to-door delivery services is that sellers and recipients do not need to contact various parties. They can track shipments online or contact their respective representatives (account managers) for updates.
Cost Reduction
Another significant benefit of door-to-door delivery is cost reduction. While sellers need not pay to maintain their physical stores, buyers save money thanks to competitive pricing, bank offers, occasional sales, etc.
Flexibility for Customers
Another essential advantage of ecommerce is that sellers can provide products and services anywhere and anytime (24×7). This way, customers enjoy the flexibility and can view and order products conveniently.
No Reach Limitations
A seller operating with a physical store may only be able to cater to a certain number of buyers at a given time. With eCommerce, sellers can sell their products and services to far-off areas. This way, their visibility increases manifold.
Operational Efficiency
Your business’ success heavily depends on operational efficiency. As the courier company will handle the logistics, you can save time and resources. Opting for door-to-door delivery lets you plan and execute marketing strategies and product development.
Insurance
Nothing is more beneficial than having your shipments secured. The courier company offers insurance on goods if they are lost or damaged in transit. It becomes very important when dealing with a high-value product.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Courier Partner for Door-To-Door Service
There could be many factors in choosing a courier partner. We have listed some of them below:
Fast Delivery
Today’s users want express shipping irrespective of their purchase (across segments). Quick delivery has become an important aspect of door-to-door delivery. Fast delivery will have a major role to play as India’s e-retail penetration will reach 10.7% by 2024.
The same-day or next-day delivery options have become vital amid growing demands and competition. An eCommerce company may not be able to scale up without quick deliveries.
Here are some of the benefits of fast delivery:
- Increased conversions
- Reduced cart abandonment
- Customer satisfaction
- Customer loyalty
- Increased average order value
Wider Reach
One of the reasons you came online was to increase your coverage. The whole purpose gets defeated if your courier partner has a limited reach. Choosing a shipping partner with a diverse network and broader reach would benefit you.
Affordable
As all businesses do, you should also look for cost-effective services to ensure you add more to your bottom line. Inexpensive courier services will help you save more and more in the long run.
Tech-enabled
Technology has become an integral part of almost every business. A tech-enabled courier partner helps you save time, reduce documentation, enhance operational efficiency and quickly ship orders.
How Pickrr Can Help Enhance Your Door-To-Door Delivery Capabilities
Pickrr helps businesses deliver orders to their customers at affordable rates. Here’s why Pickrr is an ideal choice for your business:
Wide Reach: With Pickrr, you can deliver your products to over 29,000 pin codes across India. This opens up enormous opportunities for you to expand and scale.
Multiple Courier Partners: Pickrr lets you choose a courier from a pool of 17 shipping partners. You just need to pack your shipment, and our courier partners will handle the rest.
Pickrr Fulfillment: With Pickrr fulfillment, you can store, process and ship orders to your customers within 1-2 days. You can rely on Pickrr to manage all your operations, including order and inventory management, warehouse management and courier services.
Key Account Managers: Besides all operations needed for door-to-door delivery, Pickrr assigns dedicated key account managers (KAM) for you. This lets you connect with your KAM for any help or suggestion virtually.
Conclusion
Door-to-door delivery services are the need of the hour, and businesses should prioritise them to meet consumers’ demands. However, only delivering orders to customers may not work these days. Users nowadays want smooth and quick shipping processes, and businesses should leave no stone unturned to ensure prompt and hassle-free deliveries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is door-to-door delivery safe?
Yes, it is safe if the people involved follow the established guidelines.
Q2. Which courier does door-to-door?
Many courier companies do doorstep deliveries, including:
- BlueDart
- Delhivery
- DTDC
- Xpressbees
- Ecom Express
Q3. Can a courier be delivered in one day?
Yes, orders get delivered in one day.
