Canada Post increases e-commerce fulfillment focus
Businesses and residents in Canada will likely face a very different postal service landscape in the near future. Canada Post is undertaking several projects aimed at increasing efficiency in service. E-commerce companies and businesses that integrate direct mail campaigns into their outreach efforts may need to adjust their strategies to ensure they continue operating at full capacity.
Shifting focus on e-commerce order fulfillment
According to news site Business in Vancouver, Canada Post opened a new processing facility in Richmond, British Columbia. The plant is expansive at 700,000 square feet and will be the workspace for between 250 and 300 employees. However, there's room for additional staff during busier times of the year, like the holiday shopping season.
The decision to invest in a parcel and e-commerce-focused plant comes about as Canadians have embraced online shopping with increasing zeal.
"As it relates to our parcel and package business, we're currently seeing 17 percent growth in e-commerce," Rob Hart, Canada Post's general manager of domestic parcel delivery, told Business in Vancouver.
The facility will be located near the Vancouver International Airport, which is a source of traffic for a large number of goods. Accordingly, the new processing plant will likely be able to sort and distribute packages with greater speed. The move may also be part of Canada Post's strategy to level the playing field with companies like Amazon and FedEx in providing clients with new shipping options.
Making mailboxes a community fixture
Meanwhile, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation indicated Canada Post will install community mailboxes in several neighborhoods in Winnipeg. Residents will receive keys that they'll use to retrieve their mail from the external fixtures.
Incorporating mailing software is the first step organizations can take in managing direct mail and package delivery functions. Companies can validate and verify mailing addresses to make certain items are delivered accurately.