How Logistics Startups Are Driving Fast Trade with Faster Delivery and Tech Innovation – Brand Wagon News

The services provided by these third-party startups include last-mile fleets, on-demand delivery, cold chain capabilities, delivery route optimization, advanced route optimization, IoT-based real-time tracking, and an automated communications suite.

Some companies have also started offering services in the areas of dark store operations, fulfillment centers, inventory management, order bundling, etc. Apart from supporting 10-15 minute deliveries for quick sellers like Zepto, Blinkit, and BBNow, they are also leveraging their capabilities to support 30-60 minute deliveries for various brands.

These business-to-business (B2B) startups are constantly innovating and fine-tuning their offerings to ensure fast deliveries. For example, Flipkart-backed Shadowfax offers an on-demand delivery network for fast-paced retail businesses, where it offers hourly and order-based worker deployment. While the hourly model caters to fluctuating demand by deploying people in dark stores for shifts of just 4-9 hours, as needed, the order-based model allows customers to cope with sudden surges in volume. It provides access to over 500,000 active temporary workers and has coverage in over 100 cities, especially in regions where it is typically hard to find workers.

The startup also offers EV-as-a-service at lower delivery costs and an on-demand fleet to help brands mobilise additional resources during peak periods without over-expanding capacity during quieter times. “We have been serving this segment for over five years, starting from the initial experimental phases. We have partnered with every major QSR brand in India, including the recently launched ones,” Praharsh Chandra, CBO and Co-Founder, Shadowfax, told FE in an interview.

Additionally, the company is expanding its operations to include dark stores and fulfillment centers to provide comprehensive logistics solutions.

Similarly, Zypp Electric is deploying its fleet across QSR players like Zepto, Blinkit and BBNow in Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai. As per sources, the company handles almost 15-20% of all QSR orders delivered in Delhi NCR. It will expand to 4-5 more cities in the next 12 months to meet the growing demand. It is also using IoT-based real-time tracking to optimise delivery routes.

Technology is at the heart of these startups’ ability to provide fast, efficient deliveries. Shiprocket, for example, has deployed advanced routing algorithms and automated passenger assignment systems to ensure the fastest possible response times. “Our in-house technology enables passenger assignment in seconds, and pickups are completed in minutes,” said Gautam Kapoor, COO, Shiprocket.

Logistics startups have also started catering to D2C startups, legacy brands, and small businesses to help them capitalize on the demand for fast delivery. Experts say this is a huge untapped opportunity for logistics players. For example, Shiprocket recently launched Shiprocket Quick, a hyperlocal delivery solution designed to help small businesses meet their demand by providing fast delivery. It has also partnered with major players like Porter, Ola, Borzo, Rapido, and Shadowfax for the same. Some of its clients include Ferns & Petals and Sardar Meat Shop. Many companies have also partnered with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Woocommerce, and Magento to offer fast delivery for D2C brands.

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