As the discussion about Royal Mail’s privatisation rumbles on over here in the UK, it’s fascinating to note that the national postal service of Canada is innovating with the introduction of same-day delivery in Toronto.
Canada Post is analogous to Royal Mail in the sense that it is a Crown Corporation and state owned. The exact details are yet to be announced but the basic idea is that shoppers with four Canadian retailers (Best Buy, Future Shop, Indigo and Walmart) can expect an evening delivery if they place their order before 12:30pm with deliveries coming between half five and nine in the evening.
The service is going to pilot initially in Toronto. The costs, as reported, seem to vary. Walmart orders before 11:30am will be free but the others will charge $13.95 Canadian.
Same-day delivery is becoming an interesting trend. In the UK, Shutl pioneered the idea but others have caught on. Both eBay and Amazon are expanding same-day in US cities. So far, here in dear old Blighty, we haven’t seen much action.
It seems like a no-brainer that eBay, Amazon or Royal Mail should have launched a service like this London by now.
It’s funny really. Back in the 19th Century, Royal Mail could manage multiple postal deliveries every day (including Sundays) in London and other metropolitan areas. In the age before text messages, emails and telephones in the home it was possible to send a letter at breakfast time, get a reply by lunch and meet up with a chum for tea using letters. We’re just innovating our way back to the age of Dickens (in so many ways).
The UK seems to be lagging in this new horizon of ecommerce.
