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Package Theft is on the Rise: Here’s how Shipping Companies can Prepare for the Holiday Season

LCL package
Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

Package Theft is on the Rise: Here’s how Shipping Companies can Prepare for the Holiday Season

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Over the course of the pandemic, the rate of porch piracy peaked as online shopping surged. With people steadily trickling back to the office, porch piracy incidents will only grow in number, with packages being left at empty homes unguarded. Porch pirates stole 260 million packages estimated at $19.5 billion in 2022, impacting a huge swath of consumers — nearly eight out of 10 Americans had packages stolen from them that year.

The holiday season is fast approaching, driving up the rate of online shopping and with it, the rate of porch piracy. Additionally, when people go out of town to visit family, their packages will be left unattended. To combat this trend and gain peace of mind heading into the busiest e-commerce season, shippers need comprehensive coverage that includes protection specifically for porch piracy as well as other safeguards like shipping insurance with tracking.

Porch piracy prevention

Given the prevalence of porch piracy, there are several measures shippers can take to thwart theft before it occurs. Providing delivery timeframes and accurate delivery tracking may seem like simple solutions, but they can have a big impact. According to a consumer sentiment survey conducted by logistics leader Descartes ShipRush, 74% of consumers ranked delivery tracking as extremely important when it comes to home deliveries.

Shippers can even leverage delivery tracking to further engage their consumers with branded communications and notifications. A successful tracking program will enhance the customer experience, building confidence and brand loyalty.

Shipping protection for the inevitable

Knowing that prevention measures can get ahead of many piracy attempts, but not all of them, shippers should look into shipping protection to recoup the inevitable losses that will occur. Shipping protection should be regarded as a kind of safety net that helps shippers recover from packages that are stolen upon delivery.

Shipping protection not only safeguards the financial interests of the shipper, but also cultivates the trust of the customers who rely on their purchases arriving intact. Innovative products like Descartes ShipRush Total Shipping Protection enable shippers to easily add tailored protection to their shipments that includes package theft, ensuring they’re covered even after they’re left at the door.

Unlike carrier liability, which often entails coverage gaps and long wait times for claims, the right shipping protection will ensure comprehensive coverage with a frictionless claims process. Claims submissions shouldn’t take weeks to resolve, with shippers waiting on mailed documents and endless phone calls just to get reimbursed for their lost goods. Shippers should find a solution that delivers instant claims payments with straightforward filing, and around-the-clock support whenever and wherever they need it.

The advantages of buying shipping protection from logistics providers

When considering shipping protection, businesses have the option to choose between obtaining coverage from a shipping provider or seeking third-party sources. There are several companies that specifically sell package theft or other types of insurance, but opting for coverage from your shipping provider comes with a set of distinct benefits. 

Firstly, shipping providers can provide a more seamless experience that integrates with existing services including package tracking — no need to worry about managing multiple platforms or integrations. They can also provide more a more customer-centric claims experience that streamlines the submission process, for instance, by automatically filling out forms with existing data. 

In general, shipping providers possess an in-depth understanding of their delivery network and potential pitfalls, enabling them to tailor protection that meets the needs of their customers. They have long-standing relationships with carriers that enables them to offer an end-to-end customer journey, without the need for additional legwork.

As porch piracy continues to pose a hazard to the e-commerce landscape, shippers must remain steadfast in their commitment to package security and customer trust. The inevitability of package theft necessitates a robust shipping protection program to avert disastrous losses. Through a smart combination of prevention and protection, shippers can navigate the waters of porch piracy and ensure a smoother, more secure delivery experience for all.

 

containers china
Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Uncategorized

74% of Freight Forwarders from Asia affirm Market Opportunity for Shipper owned Containers in the Region

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The market opportunity for Shipper-owned containers (SOCs) is recognized by 74% of freight forwarders as surveyed by Container xChange. Pudong Prime, a freight forwarder from Asia recently experienced exceptional demand for SOCs from Vietnam. Recognizing the opportunity, Pudong Prime ventured into expanding its market in Vietnam leveraging the digital operational support of Container xChange, an online container logistics platform.

Growth in acceptance for Shipper-owned Containers has been triggered by market uncertainties caused by supply chain crises globally over the past two years. This created a thriving environment for Shipper owned containers globally. Asia developed as a key market for SOCs, according to the analysis by Container xChange.

Pudong Prime, an international freight forwarding company, with a key focus on SOCs, observed that freight forwarders and shippers are increasingly identifying the competitive advantage of SOCs over COCs with their low pick-up charges and D&D charges. 

Commenting on the newfound opportunity in the SOCs market, Wilson Le, Marketing Development Strategy, Pudong Prime said, “We have gained a competitive advantage with SOCs as compared to the high detention charges and equipment shortage associated with COCs. We’ve achieved a cost advantage due to the lower pick-up charges with SOCs compared to COCs.”

Christian Roeloffs, Co-Founder and CEO of Container xChange, said, “The rise in awareness for SOCs shows that industry participants are responding to the supply-chain pressures by diversifying their sourcing strategy. Lack of transparency and standardized digital processes has fueled inefficiency for a very long time in the logistics industry. These struggles are further worse for shipper-owned containers where no carrier takes care of processes. This hinders the adoption of SOCs in the market. With the adoption of digital tools, all of this could be streamlined in a manner that there is a standardized procedure for all users.”

Container xChange has helped Pudong penetrate by simplifying its operations and contributing to a better business flow, explained, Wilson Le Marketing Development Strategy, Pudong Prime, “Our aim was to limit unforeseen situations with SOC operation at both the origin and destination to avoid bad trips. And with Container xChange’s real-time Connect tool we achieved just that and gained more operational control.”

“We were able to proactively connect with numerous affiliated inland depots to coordinate the leasing pick-up and drop-off locations. This reduced many unforeseen errors and setbacks. “, he added.

In half year, Pudong Prime has made 16 new partners and leased 659 containers to 18 locations in North America and Canada and continues to grow the volume of containers leased through the Container xChange platform.

To read the case study further, visit: https://www.container-xchange.com/blog/customer-success-story-pudong-prime/

About Container xChange   

The container is one of the most impactful innovations in history—using standardization to power globalization and lift billions of people out of poverty. But contrary to the standardized container itself, most processes in container logistics have not been standardized nor innovated — and are still frustratingly complex, manual and error-prone. Combined with thin margins, this makes it difficult for logistics businesses to survive and thrive.

Container xChange is the leading online platform for container logistics that brings together all relevant companies to book and manage shipping containers as well as to settle all related invoices and payments.

The neutral online platform that:

  1. connects supply and demand of shipping containers and transportation services with full transparency on availability, pricing and reputation,
  1. simplifies operations from pickup to drop-off of containers,
  1. and auto-settles payments in real-time for all your transactions to reduce invoice reconciliation efforts and payment costs.

Currently, more than 1500+ vetted container logistics companies trust xChange with their business—and enjoy transparency through performance ratings and partner reviews. Unlike limited personal networks, excel sheets and emails you rely on, Container xChange gives its users countless options to book and manage containers, move faster with confidence and increase profit margins.

About Pudong Prime Vietnam 

Pudong Prime Vietnam has been in the freight logistics game for more than 21 years and remains on the list of the top fifteen freight forwarding companies from Asia to the USA and Canada.

Unlike traditional forwarding companies, Pudong specializes in SOC transportation from main shipping lines. By utilizing these shipping lines’ containers for extended periods, the company provides the necessary storage and long-term container occupation services and addresses the issue of high detention fees.

 

E-commerce
Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Special Reports

E-commerce Will Continue to Grow in Importance Post-COVID

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As we enter the second half of 2020, the global COVID pandemic seems to be slowing down in some places and taking wing in others. Through all the waves, however, one thing is becoming certain: we still have quite a while to go until things go back to “normal.”

For businesses, this brings a host of challenges. Although there’s a necessity to flatten the curve, economies cannot halt for the next year or so until scientists (or nature) come up with a solution. Ultimately, this means that some form of adaptation is necessary.

E-commerce growth in 2020

One of the most significant changes that we saw in consumer shopping habits in 2020 was the rapid growth in popularity of e-commerce. Just a few months back, online shopping was considered unreliable by most individuals over 65. Almost overnight, however, it has become an essential practice. And some numbers testify to the growth of e-commerce.

For example, for Q1 2020, Amazon reported a 29% increase in North American and an 18% increase in worldwide sales. What is even more interesting is that grocery sales have grown a full 8%, compared to the slower growth of 1% during previous years.

On the whole, this is a clear indicator that e-commerce is gaining importance in today’s society. And not just in categories such as tech, apparel, or entertainment. It’s also becoming more relevant when it comes to purchasing health or other essential products. 

With this increased exposure, it’s also likely to expand further during the coming months and years. After all, it’s widely available, convenient, and no longer a foreign concept to most.

For business owners, this prospect of accelerated growth sends a clear message. If they haven’t already, now is the time to make e-commerce an integral part of their business operations.

Changing work models

Adapting to changes can be difficult. And many have already made leaps to keep their operations going during the pandemic. From working remotely to introducing online shopping, these changes have made it possible for small businesses to carry on during these trying times.

But the truth is, small businesses need to put much more effort into their e-commerce webshops to allow them to work with the same efficiency as physical businesses.

For Americans, spending habits have changed drastically since the beginning of the year. The retail industry has taken a big hit, as have companies working in travel, hospitality, entertainment, and even health.

Moreover, there is a tendency towards turning to local shops for a variety of products. Of course, this is a lifeline to small companies who have taken the biggest hit since March. But, it can also be bad news for those whose business models were developed to serve a more global market.

This is why businesses need to start acting now.

Following trends

Over the next period, e-commerce businesses will need to be much more vigilant about how they approach the future. 

First and foremost, they will need to employ risk-mitigating strategies, which will allow them to continue reaching customers. These include diversifying supply chains, implementing DTC models, relying on automation, as well as re-thinking the entire business process.

Furthermore, they’ll need to pay special attention to meeting customers’ needs. Basic conversion-boosting practices such as search engine optimization, decreasing page load times, improving copy and visuals, will all influence user experience, and thus sales and rankings.

One way to future-proof e-commerce businesses is to take a hands-on approach to mobile optimization. Right now, mobile shopping is witnessing growth, and this trend is only likely to continue. If they want to keep up, businesses should adjust early on by adopting mobile optimization tools that are popular among their users.

Moreover, with fewer opportunities to make sales face to face, web design should receive a higher amount of attention. Do you deal with products for which tactile or sensory information is crucial when it comes to sales? Consider whether the visual content on your pages could bridge the gap between online and in-person shopping experiences.

You can look for inspiration from companies that are managing to do this with success. For example, Zoma is an online mattress retailer. Their product collection pages were designed to clearly illustrate the differences between various types of mattresses. This allows users to find the product that will meet their needs with much less hassle.

source: zomasleep.com

Putting customers first

Providing more in-depth information about your products and keeping your website visitors’ needs in mind is a big step in the right direction. However, it’s not going to be enough.

In e-commerce, sales rely on impeccable user experience, so you need to come up with ways to provide it to your customers. Things like free shipping, 24/7 customer service, or high-quality instructional content all play a part in driving conversions.

For this reason, it’s not a bad idea to call attention to the changes you’re making to your service. Are your locations open? Are you taking orders? Are you taking any extra precautions to protect your buyers? It may be wise to use a popup or banner on your website’s homepage to communicate to customers about how COVID might be affecting your business. A good example of this is the banner shown at the top of supplement machine manufacturer LFA Capsule Fillers website.

source: lfpacapsulefillers.com

As the current situation unfolds, you may even want to create a separate section on your website, addressing your response to COVID. That’s what retailer Massimo Dutti did. On their dedicated COVID-19 page, they call attention to an extended returns period to 30 days, as well as free standard home delivery.

source: massimodutti.com

For business owners, these changes are quite small. Though they require an investment in terms of time, they do provide a high level of value to customers. Ultimately what they’re doing is establishing a greater sense of trust, which is critical for any business, but especially for those just now expanding into e-commerce. In the end, trust translates into customer loyalty (and higher conversion rates). 

Navigating uncertain terrain

With the global situation being unpredictable at the moment, consumer behavior is more volatile than ever. What this means for businesses is that they need to be ready to make quick adjustments. And the only way to do this is to pay closer attention to everything that is or isn’t working.

One thing’s certain: e-commerce will continue to grow at a rapid rate, especially in the coming months. For this reason, do your best to follow current trends. Future-proof your business, mitigate risks, and find ways to improve your service. This way, you’ll be decreasing the chance of being run over by the times, and allowing your business to reach new heights.