What are the Hidden Costs of Fast Delivery

Everyone is enjoying the benefit of online shopping and getting goods on the same day. Some shoppers even opt to drive to the shop outlets to pick their products. But has anyone taken the time to think about the impact of fast delivery? Well, in this compilation, we have covered the hidden costs associated with fast delivery.

1. Poor roads and weather

The parcel courier drivers are expected to drive during all weather. At times, the drivers experience harsh weather conditions on the roads, especially during winter. During this time, their visibility is limited which at times leads to accidents. Guess what? The drivers are liable for any accidents along their designated routes. How about when there is heavy traffic? The drivers have to endure long hours on the road.

2. Harassment

Delivery men and women are always a target of violence and harassment from the homes where they drop parcels. Some homeowners may haul insults at the delivery people whenever the product they get is not the exact match they wanted.

3. Environmental costs

As people prefer same-day delivery over waiting a couple of days, the environmental impact cannot be ignored. Previously, companies would consolidate orders and load them onto one big truck. Then, the deliveries were made along one route. This meant that less carbon was emitted into the environment. On the contrary, companies have now opted to deliver one product on one trip. This implies that the carbon emitted is much higher. It is almost as if each buyer drove to the stores.

The surge in fast delivery began when Amazon decided to offer same-day delivery to its prime subscribers. In retaliation, competitors also decided to do the same. For instance, Walmart decided to roll out free same-day delivery for all customers regardless of whether they had a membership card.

4. Pressure on the warehouse worker

You can imagine the number of orders that a company like Amazon receives within minutes. There are people within the warehouses expected to sort the orders, pack them, and load them onto the delivery vans. It is reported that the workers are given specific targets to meet within an hour. The workers complain about the targets being unrealistic. Worse still, some of the employees in the warehouse have been fired for not meeting the targets. Well, it is an achievement to fulfill as many orders for big companies, but are the employees expected to work like machines?

5. Theft

Some drivers especially those who deliver food products have reported cases of robbery and theft. At times some of them get injured in the process. It is therefore clear that fast delivery is a threat to the lives of the delivery people.

Conclusion

Most online shoppers think that shopping is as simple as just touching a button on their smart devices. However, there are so many hidden costs that are associated with fast delivery. For instance, delivery vehicles emit a lot of carbon that is harmful to the environment. There are many warehouse workers suffering because they have to meet ridiculous targets set by their supervisors. Worse still, drivers experience bad weather, heavy traffics, and robbery while on the road.