Research & Statistics
News lenge is to give fairness and responsibility a business-oriented approach. Our concept is that companies should focus on creating shared value, turning social and environmental challenges into sustainable, fair and potentially profitable business models. The‘ Fair and Responsible Challenge’ aims to find new and innovative ideas to advance this vision,” states Bill Meahl, Chief Commercial Officer, DHL.
The second challenge is the“ Robotics Challenge”. The aim is to develop a prototype of a self-driving delivery cart that can autonomously accompany staff during last mile delivery.“ Our colleagues have to deal with an ever-increasing number of parcels that need to be delivered. As our couriers are currently required to manually push this volume through the streets, we encourage concepts that support our employees,” Meahl continues. The submitted prototypes need to be able to traverse typical urban and rural landscapes at walking-speed while at the same time carrying parcels.
After submission, entries are reviewed in a pre-selection process based on their functionality, potential to solve the given problem and its perceived commercial feasibility. Following pre-selection, a panel of logistics experts will select three finalists of each challenge, who then have the chance to present their idea or prototype in front of 180 senior supply chain professionals at the DHL Innovation Day on November 17. For each challenge a winner is awarded during a live-voting process. The highest numbers of votes are awarded as winners of the DHL
Innovation Challenge, receive a monetary prize out of a pool of combined 20,000 Euro, and display their idea at the DHL innovation Centers in Troisdorf / Germany and Singapore. In addition, DHL will invite the winners to discuss opportunities to materialize their ideas into a joint proof of concept.
Research & Statistics
UPS STUDY: AVID ONLINE SHOPPERS MAKING MORE THAN HALF OF THEIR PURCHASES WITH E-COMMERCE
Tech-savvy shoppers taking more control with smartphones. Technology drives retailers to redefine the store.
Avid online shoppers, who make two or more purchases online in a typical three-month period, are leading a retail revolution. These consumers are shopping more with their smartphones and demanding a more seamless experience between virtual and physical stores, according to the fifth annual UPS Pulse of the Online Shopper™ study.
This is the first time in the study’ s five-year history that more than 50 percent( 51 %) of all purchases made by respondents are made online, up from 48 percent in 2015.
“ Consumers are skilled at using technology to their advantage and thrive on gathering information when shopping,” said Teresa Finley, Chief Marketing Officer at UPS.“ This year’ s UPS study revealed that 45 percent of online shoppers love the thrill of hunting for and finding great deals, and that physi- cal stores continue to play an important role in that experience. The challenge is how to best engage with shoppers to fulfill their desires.”
Evolved Shoppers
The shift from traditional in-store shopping to shopping with multiple channels continues. Seventeen percent of consumers plan to shop less in store, shifting time to their electronic devices.
The use of smartphones is up 10 points( to 77 %) over the past two years, and retailers are responding. Online shoppers report a better mobile experience with satisfaction up eight points( to 73 %) since last year. Social media’ s influence on purchasing decisions is up nine points( to 34 %) in the last year with nearly a quarter of respondents( 23 %) having made purchases through social media sites.
Shiny New Objects
Some traditional online retailers are experimenting with showrooms without inventory to provide consumers with the opportunity to examine products at a physical location before buying them online. One in six shoppers say they have visited such retailers. These locations are finding some initial success with millennials, women and urban shoppers.
While marketplaces such as Amazon and eBay are well-established shopping resources, consumers are turning to them earlier to find the best deals. Thirty-five percent of online shoppers now begin their searches at marketplaces.
Reimagining the Store
Cross-channel transactions, which refer to purchases using in-store and
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