Navigating the Evolution of Last Mile Parcel Delivery and E-commerce Logistics
Keep up with the latest in retail parcel shipping. The smarter, faster parcel journey involves fireside chats with innovators, visionaries and leaders in last mile parcel delivery, exploring how technology is reshaping parcel delivery and finding opportunities in chaos in the shipping industry.
E-commerce Growth and Market Trends
What is the actual growth and makeup of the segment, and what does that mean for fleets? According to industry research, e-commerce is expected to grow 22% through 2022. Then you start looking at: What does that mean in regards to the parcel market and what these last mile delivery companies are going to need from a vehicle perspective? The compound average growth rate from 2021 through 2025 is going to be about 13%.
We have an offering that covers Class 1 through 7 vehicles, and it supports the last mile delivery space. This growth gives us an opportunity to continue to build more vehicles for that space, including step vans, truck bodies, and upfitting cargo vans that are used in last mile applications for parcel delivery companies.
The Diverse Landscape of Delivery Models
If you look at this segment, there is a mix of different operational models:
- UPS: They employ professional drivers and own their vehicles.
- FedEx Express: A fleet of vehicles that are corporate owned.
- Delivery Service Provider Model: These are contractors that buy a variety of different types of vehicles that Amazon has spec’d.
- FedEx Ground Contractor Segment: They’re not employees of FedEx, they’re contractors who need more vehicles as a result of market growth.
Better Trucks and ShipWise Integration
Better Trucks now integrates with ShipWise bringing 2-day delivery, lower costs & real-time tracking for DTC brands, 3PLs, and retailers. ShipWise now integrates with Better Trucks, a technology-first last-mile carrier designed for e-commerce and 3PL shipping. This integration gives you direct access to next-day and two-day delivery options across a growing U.S. footprint, optimized for lightweight, high-velocity parcels.
Why it matters: This unlocks faster delivery speeds, better address accuracy, and up to 40% lower shipping costs compared to legacy national carriers. With real-time tracking and proactive delivery intelligence built in, your shipments are more efficient and reliable - especially during peak volumes.
Key Features of the Integrated Platform
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Rate shopping | Compare carriers, save on shipping costs |
| Tracking | Real-time visibility across your supply chain |
| Intelligence | Advanced analytics, reporting and parcel auditing |
| Cartonization | Optimize packing for efficient shipping |
Optimizing the Shipping Workflow
How is technology driving growth in the parcel shipping space? Using technology to expose blind spots in the parcel shipping industry involves several key tools. This integration is ideal for high-velocity DTC brands, online retailers, and 3PLs shipping lightweight parcels (especially sub-5 lb and sub-1 lb) where delivery speed, precision, and cost control are critical. You can activate Better Trucks in minutes and start shipping within 24–48 hours to unlock:
- Faster Delivery: Next-day and two-day service with predictive ETAs.
- Lower Shipping Costs: Save 20–40% vs. national carriers.
- Fewer Mis-deliveries: AI-powered address validation with Checkpoint.
- Smarter Visibility: No-code tracking via Vestigo.
Technology-first solutions are bridging the gap between shippers and carriers, allowing businesses to centralize and optimize order fulfillment processes while streamlining workflows and reducing manual shipping tasks.
