AS the year draws to a close, shoppers are bracing themselves for the year-end sales.
With 12.12 just around the corner, followed by Christmas and New Year, retailers, as well as small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are anticipating a surge in sales during this peak shopping season.
Besides that, customers tend to make more last-minute purchases, whether for themselves or loved ones, especially during the year-end period.
One thing that shoppers are looking for, in particular, is fast and secure delivery. This makes brands that offer same-day delivery more appealing, like Lalamove.
For 28-year old estate planner Hilman Shukor, he highlights the efficiency of faster deliveries, likening it to the experience of shopping in stores.
"I always opt for services that can do same-day deliveries so I don't have to wait a few working days to receive my product. It's almost like I shopped in the store rather than placing an online order," he enthused.
"Same-day deliveries are also very handy when I'm running late or forgot to buy a present. It can be difficult especially during the festive season."
Furthermore, there is a group of customers who aim for convenience.
Tuan Ting Wei, 23, stated that he would rather buy from local sellers who offer faster shipping.
"I think that's the best thing about same-day delivery. You can receive the product by the end of the day, or sometimes even within an hour, which beats having to leave the house. It's a great option if you have a hectic schedule," he added.
SWIFT SERVICE
With consumers expecting more than just products from the sellers, a faster delivery experience is another vital aspect of after-sales service.
Nowadays, it's a common practice for consumers to leave reviews to rate their satisfaction levels about the product or courier service.
Content specialist Ellina Chan says reviews are a major deciding factor when it comes to engaging with an online shop or delivery service.
"Since I am a paying customer, it's important to me that I get good service. I usually browse through the reviews before I decide to buy something," she said.
"I think, from a customer's perspective, what's really important is that we get our products delivered safely and on-time, especially if it's time sensitive."
This shift in shopping behaviour and expectations has transformed the business landscape, where sellers have to provide a fast and efficient method to deliver their goods to the buyer.
In addition to 'same-day delivery services', Lalamove Malaysia supports over 250,000 regular customers and commercial clients with their 'instant delivery services'. This way, small products can be shipped within an hour, whereas large ones can take just a few hours on average.
Aside from meeting consumer demand, Lalamove's quick on-demand delivery services also assist their SME clients in gaining complete flexibility in scaling their business up or down in response to market trends.
This also helps them optimise their supply chain to meet peak season rushes, particularly during the year-end period.
BUSINESS DELIVERIES
The allure of same-day delivery is not just for shoppers. For businesses, faster delivery reduces limitations on logistics, while improving business turnover and inventory management — it allows business owners to react promptly to increasing demands, on a day-by-day, or even on an hour-by-hour basis.
Stephent Lee, chief operating officer for auto parts trading company Seng Li Marketing, said that peak shopping season poses hurdles, like limited dispatch and slow deliveries.
While the increase in orders spells a good season for the company, sending out products on time is challenging, since the company services clients in over a thousand workshops in Malaysia.
"Leveraging a delivery service provider like Lalamove allows us to deliver our spare parts to our customers who own retail businesses, where they have to repair cars in mere hours," he said. "It is vital for our business."
Additionally, Hu Hun Hui, managing director of online grocery shopping platform HappyFresh Malaysia adds that faster deliveries help HappyFresh emulate the physical grocery shopping experience.
As Lalamove's business client since 2018, Hu compliments Lalamove's delivery speed and user-friendly app interface, stating that HappyFresh's API integration allows pre-emptive rides to ensure their grocery orders are delivered on time.
For retailers and SMEs looking to capitalise on the year-end peak shopping season, Lalamove offers same-day delivery solutions with a variety of benefits.
Lalamove even offers a variety of vehicle types. Users can decide to use a car if the order is too bulky, or a motorcycle if the item is small and speed is of the essence. There are also other vehicle options available, like pickup trucks, vans and lorries that come with additional manpower and dismantling or assembly services.
They also provide interstate delivery services for businesses in Klang Valley, Penang and Johor Bahru who need outstation logistics or interbranch delivery support.
Business owners who want to tap into Lalamove's same-day delivery can sign up for a business account on their website or download the Lalamove app.