2 Crowdsourced delivery Crowdsourced delivery has been around for a while, but the model, which depends on a network of independent drivers to make deliveries, is spreading in in uence for retailers that need its particular advantages. Among their most notable bene ts, many crowdsourced delivery providers allow retailers to offer same-day or next- day delivery without operating their own eet, aligning with modern customer expectations, according to Shaun Savage, CEO and founder of GoShare, which operates in 100-plus markets in 38 states. “The crowdsourced model can support the delivery of nearly all retail products, from small parcels to furniture and pallets of goods,” Savage says. “Retailers have used a crowdsourced model to support every leg of the supply chain— rst mile to middle mile and the last mile. That type of supply chain exibility helps retailers achieve ef ciencies and cost savings.” And retailers only pay for the deliveries that they need. “The exibility extends to retailers having the ability to easily scale up their eet during peak season and down during slow periods,” Savage notes. “They are also able to tap into a large labor pool on demand without long-term contracts. Many crowdsourced platforms offer real-time driver visibility, which offers a better customer experience at lower operating costs.” Leveraging the Bene ts Crowdsourcing delivery typically comes with a fresh set of data and analytics that store operations can use to optimize inventory placement and logistics strategy. In addition, giving retailers the capability to ship from their stores “tends to shorten the last mile and limit costs, which has an overly positive impact on customers’ satisfaction,” Savage says. “In today’s retail landscape, having a modern and speedy delivery solution is a major competitive advantage,” he adds. “Retailers can use their brick-and-mortar footprint combined with crowdsourced
delivery to offer a better ful llment solution for their customers both online and of ine. “It is particularly important for retailers to have comparable delivery options to what is available on the leading ecommerce websites in order to keep market share,” he says. “In a highly competitive retail landscape, a modern supply chain can be the difference between victory and defeat.” Crowdsourced delivery models are poised for growth going forward, Savage predicts. “We expect the trend of retailers using crowdsourced delivery models to accelerate in the years ahead as they become more reliable and valuable to supply chains,” he says. “The gig economy offers the modern workforce the type of independence that they crave. “The technology stacks behind crowdsourced companies will use AI and other automations to solidify themselves as ef cient supply chain partners,” Savage adds. 3 AI shopping assistants AI shopping assistants are gaining ground in the retail eld as consumers increasingly become more comfortable and uent with
using arti cial intelligence. Ecommerce shoppers use the assistants to help them browse online to nd, compare, and buy products. Shoppers can use simple descriptions to get help. The goal is to use accurate responses and “highly personal, proactive assistants” to personalize the shopping experience for each user, according to Jesse Dwyer, head of communications for Perplexity, a San Francisco-based company that provides an AI-powered answer engine. “Shopping and buying are unique experiences for everyone,” Dwyer says. AI Shopping vs. Chatbots AI shopping assistants differ from chatbots, which provide pre-determined answers that are triggered by the words customers use in their searches. In contrast, AI shopping assistants are designed to answer any query and to provide unique, personalized guidance and recommendations based on consumer searches and requests. The goal is to provide a more sophisticated level of help to customers, leading to both more purchases and better service. Perplexity users, for example, use the company’s Comet browser for assistance with a variety of tasks, including shopping. “For example, I asked Comet to nd and buy me a new sweater. It knows what I want, and I don’t have the time or interest to deal with it,” Dwyer says. “My partner, on the other hand, enjoys scrolling options and imagery shopping more than she does social media. “It’s a spectrum, and agentic commerce helps every shopper have the best experience for them, while giving brands and merchants a scalable way to have those one-on-one relationships,” he says. 4 Smart mailboxes The rise of ecommerce also has led to increased use of lockers for secure, touchless pickup. Those lockers— or mailboxes—are becoming not only more prevalent but more technologically sophisticated as usage grows. For instance, Arrive AI, an autonomous delivery network, has developed an
Arrive AI’s autonomous last-mile platform enables delivery to a smart mailbox by drone, ground robot, or human.
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