{"id":11301,"date":"2019-03-06T17:55:58","date_gmt":"2019-03-06T17:55:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ushipblogsubd.wpengine.com\/?p=11301"},"modified":"2025-09-03T15:21:28","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T15:21:28","slug":"innovate-in-oversized-delivery-to-compete-with-amazon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ushipblogsubd.wpengine.com\/industry-trends\/innovate-in-oversized-delivery-to-compete-with-amazon\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovate in Oversized Delivery to Compete with Amazon"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dean Jutilla, uShip \/\/ This article was originally published by Multichannel Merchant on July 31st, 2018<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

It can\u2019t be overstated how Amazon has been the engine behind ecommerce\u2019s explosive growth. The 100 million products<\/a> Amazon claimed it sold during its recent Prime Day only underscore its impact.<\/p>\n

Logistically, offering free two-day shipping has completely reset buyer expectations on speed and cost. In fact, 43% of consumers expect \u201cmuch faster\u201d deliveries in 2018, according to a recent survey by Dropoff.<\/a><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Amazon continues to push for massive supply chain control. It knows there\u2019s no such thing as \u201cfree\u201d shipping; it\u2019s just a matter of who pays. And it shows in its logistics strategy: Own the supply chain. Squeeze out all excess cost. Maximize revenue.<\/p>\n

Along with ships, planes, trucks and the like, Amazon has been building out a network of third-party entrepreneurs<\/a> to deliver packages while soliciting couriers during peak season, further putting its UPS and FedEx alliances in the crosshairs.<\/p>\n

The Missing Link in Oversized Delivery<\/h2>\n

The \u201cAmazon Effect\u201d notwithstanding, there is one area of ecommerce where online sellers can still compete with, maybe even beat, Amazon and others: Oversized delivery. Demand for low-cost, speedy delivery of bulky items is growing rapidly as consumers get more comfortable with these types of ecommerce orders.<\/p>\n

Nobody, not even Amazon, has cornered this market yet. Amazon has been less than clear about it in its logistics strategy, while large online sellers like Wayfair<\/a> have created proprietary processes and the big carriers are still trying to figure it out.<\/a><\/p>\n

Why all the hardship? There\u2019s a lot more involved in getting that sofa, armoire, or dining room set to someone\u2019s doorstep, let alone placing it in a room of choice, something many people want.<\/p>\n

It matters because the $19.2 billion online furniture and home furnishings market is one of the fastest-growing segments of ecommerce, expected to reach $42 billion in sales<\/a> by next year, according to eMarketer.<\/p>\n

A uShip study with third-party agency YouGov found that nearly 20% of consumers had purchased an oversized item in the past 12 months, and 34% of them are more likely to do so than they were five years ago.<\/p>\n

Despite appearances and mind-boggling volumes, it doesn\u2019t mean consumers are exclusively loyal to Amazon. Sixty-five percent said they are willing to shift to other retailers that offer the same fast delivery options as Amazon, according to Dropoff. Those who can figure out oversized delivery can take advantage of a huge market opportunity.<\/p>\n

Consumers See Troubles in Oversized Delivery<\/h2>\n

As ecommerce merchants and logistics companies circle the wagons around oversized logistics, they realize they have to work to win back consumer trust due to poor, slow and overpriced past delivery experiences.<\/p>\n

Experience:<\/strong> 20% percent of consumers who have made an oversized ecommerce purchase in the last year said the item arrived damaged, while 15% said it never arrived at all, according to the uShip study. Thirty percent would avoid purchasing an oversized item online due to lack of confidence in a safe delivery. And nearly 15% have missed work while waiting for a delivery.<\/p>\n

Speed:<\/strong> It\u2019s not uncommon for a single piece of furniture to change hands 6-8 times between first mile, long haul and final mile. This can mean 6-8 weeks of delivery time, glacial by today\u2019s standards, as carriers worry more about regional consolidation of deliveries than the end consumer\u2019s experience.<\/p>\n

Cost:<\/strong> The uShip survey found 44% of adults who have purchased an oversized item online in the past 12 months said high shipping fees prevented them from doing so, while 14% would avoid a brand or retailer because of a bad previous experience.<\/p>\n

Beat Amazon and Exceed Consumer Expectations in Oversized Delivery<\/h2>\n

There\u2019s clearly room to improve the customer experience in oversized delivery. Luckily, ecommerce sellers<\/a> can take advantage of this opportunity to beat Amazon at its own game.<\/p>\n

Here are a few things that consumers who have purchased an oversized item said would improve the delivery experience:<\/p>\n