drones in the United States, so it’s thought that
they’ll soon be mainstream. Granted, it’ll only
ever be a niche service - Amazon can’t deliver a
new TV or sofa on a drone - and there are flight
regulations, weight restrictions, and customer
safety to think about. That’s without mentioning
the rise of driverless vehicles like Tesla models
- which could be used to collect your shopping
from the supermarket or even pick up the kids
from school. It’s this level of automation that will
change the way we live - and make brands rich!
Another trend that’s expected to continue in
the years ahead is crowdsourcing deliveries.
Several platforms like Hitch and Deliv are
matching people who are already traveling with
deliveries that need to go to the same place,
and there are both financial and environmental
benefits of such a service. Rather than having
Amazon, Uber, and Walmart all come to your
house to drop off parcels, one company could
bring everything you ordered at once. This is a
last-mile service that takes the pressure out of
big delivery companies and indeed will lower
emissions in the long-term, though there are
of course complexities to the scheme. It’s also
worth giving a nod to 3D printing, and the
ability to order goods online and rather than
have them delivered have them printed in
your home immediately. Sure, this is is a niche
service and the benefits of mass production will
outweigh home production for most products
but it’s a technology that cannot be ignored,
particularly for those who are operating in B2B.