service points are more flexible to receive any size of parcel and store personnel are helpful to assist customers that are not familiar with locker machine operations (for example old people); moreover service point allow customers to combine the parcel collection with shopping, as most service points are located in stores. This way around ensures that stores are always willing to handle the parcel service because it yields extra profit (Foresight, 2000). Table 4, CDP companies in Germany, the UK and The Netherlands Sourcing: Esser and Kurte 2007; Rowlands, 2006) Weltevreden, 2007a After 2000, there is a trend of establishing networks of CDP in European countries for B2C market. Policy makers of logistic companies are aware of using CDP as a means to decrease the freight transport in online shopping since it saves the additional costs of second or third time delivery. In table 4 we can see the main adoptions of CDP in Germany, the UK and The Netherlands, and it is within expectations that service points are the most common form given the strengths and weaknesses above. McLeod et al. (2006) studied customers’ attitude of 790 households in Winchester in the UK regarding the service point. The result showed that 83% of respondents were in favor of the idea of service points instead of carrier’s depots. And in France, 20% of online shopping are shipped to service points other than home, it has become a well-established modes that has a nationwide network covering urban, suburbs and rural areas (Morganti et al., 2014). CDP companies need sufficient resources to build the network that is large enough to attract the customers, but unfortunately not all the companies listed above are successful. Locker point companies Tower24 and Givver only obtain a prototype of their service (Esser and Kurte, 2007). The UK Company CollectPoint was shut down in 2007 and bought by Redpack, and Redpack is making use of the network of ColletPoint as a channel mainly in B2B market (RedPack, 2007). Nevertheless, this does not mean that locker points have faded away from being an attractive option. DHL has placed over2500 Pack Station (see figure 6) since 2000, and
has arrived in the city, and they have their own service points in a wide range of urban areas, in this way the risk of delay and congestions is shaved off. Table 7, Current delivery modes of last mile in China Project Name Start Time Scope Description Status Shunfeng service point 10.2011 Shenzhen Cooperation with convenient store 7-11 to provide pickup and return of parcel In trail City 100 12.2011 Beijing, Changsha Integrated the parcel delivery of various express companies and provide value-added service Successful Jingdong Subway service point 12.2011 Some metro stations in Beijing Service point failed Express Supermarket 05.2012 Sichuan Foreign Language University Concentrated parcel point in campus (student entrepreneur) In trail Sposter 03.2012 22 cities in China Intelligent lockers in neighborhoods In trail Yuantong Community 07.2012 Communities in Shanghai Collaborated with property management company to set up the service point In trail Ali mini post 08.2012 Some universities Self-pickup and intra campus delivery In trail Tmall service point 10.2012 Some cities in China Community self-pick point In trail
Bottlenecks in last mile Not-at-home problem Long time window Repeated delivery Immature express industry Low delivery efficiency Out-dated technology Lack of professionals Circumstance Unbalanced economic development Insufficient technology infrastructure Short period of internet adoption Large variance in city size Vast population and high density Solutions to last mile delivery problem Service points Intelligent lockers Express outlets Platform with property management company Third party delivery mode Effectiveness Most of the innovations are in trail but have performed well, only two are financially successful so far
Table 17, Summary of last mile delivery in China and Chengdu China Chengdu Bottlenecks in last mile Immature express industry Not-at-home problem Long time window Repeated delivery Low delivery efficiency Out-dated technology Lack of professionals Slow delivery speed Poor service attitude Untraceable online info Damaged goods Time constrain Circumstance Unbalanced economic development Insufficient technology infrastructure Short period of internet adoption Large variance in city size Vast population and high density Economy and transportation hub in western China Fast growth in Insufficient infrastructure of express industry Government support Solutions to last mile delivery problem Service points Intelligent lockers Express outlets Platform with property management company Third party delivery mode Service points Intelligent lockers Property management company Effectiveness Most of the innovations are in trail but have performed well, only two are financially successful The indirect modes are accepted by consumers, especially intelligent lockers