The past year has seen great changes throughout the world, and some of the most significant have occurred in the delivery industry. In fact, on-demand delivery saw huge growth in 2020 and is predicted to see growth of 49% in 2021 to total $435 billion industry-wide. With on-demand delivery seeing such staggering growth, it is useful to take a look at some of the top trends projected for 2021.
1. More Than Food
While food delivery is by far the largest segment of the on-demand delivery industry, a trend that will undoubtedly continue, other areas are projected to increase dramatically in 2021. The onset of the coronavirus pandemic has created a situation where increasing numbers of people desire on-demand delivery for an increasing number of goods. This has led to many services that focus on connecting people with a wide array of products, which is expected to continue to increase going forward.
2. All-in-One Apps
All-in-one apps that allow for all commerce to go through a singular app are the new normal. This means an individual orders and pays through an app without having to worry about managing multiple venues of communication. This trend has even grown to the area of online peer-to-peer selling. DeliverEnd facilitates sales through online marketplaces including payment and delivery, providing enhanced convenience.
3. Safety
Safety was a major trend in 2020 and will continue to be of prominent importance. Many experts believe safety and sanitation will remain critical in the public eye even after the COVID-19 pandemic finally resolves. This means on-demand delivery services will be expected to adhere to a number of protocols to facilitate safe and often contactless delivery. The desire for personal contact with strangers will likely be minimal for the next several years. Organizations should keep this in mind as they continue to enhance their services in a contactless manner.
4. Convenience
Convenience is what drives the on-demand delivery business. Customers expect fast delivery on their schedule. This means that on-demand delivery services need to provide a high level of service, a personalized customer experience, and rapid delivery. While the typical delivery industry focuses on bulk shipments, on-demand thrives on small, highly individualized services. Customers also are increasingly expecting features such as delivery tracking.
5. A Hyperlocal Experience
Delivery used to be primarily a regional or national thing. However, the COVID-19 pandemic and increased demand for delivery has rapidly transformed the industry to a hyper-localized experience. On-demand delivery almost exclusively delivers items or products within smaller local areas. While not thought to be profitable before, the increased demand has greatly strengthened the profitability for hyperlocal small deliveries.
