Air, Freight News

No need to go Dutch for online delivery

[ June 22, 2016   //   Chris ]

While the Benleux countries are often considered to be the heart of the European logistics industry, online retailers seeking the shortest route to major consumer markets would do well to consider Germany instead, says DK Fulfilment’s Robin Buxton.

While many, including, FedEx – the new owners of TNT, who recently moved their European base to the former TNT head office at Hoofddorp – see the Schiphol area as the place to be – and for heavier freight this may undoubtedly be true – Amsterdam scores less well when it comes to serving the e-commerce market, Buxton argues.

He says: “Given that the ability to provide the shortest order delivery time is now seen by most online retailers as being as important as the quality and price of the goods they’re selling, it is clearly sensible for fulfilment warehouses to be located where the biggest markets are. In the case of Europe, that’s the UK and Germany.”

UK consumers are Europe’s biggest internet shoppers while the Germans are a close second and are also buying more of everything online. Shipping orders to UK or German customers from a UK or German base speeds up deliveries and one extra shipping day could mean a lost sale, in Buxton’s opinion.

He concludes: “No one would seek to deny that, for freight movers, Schipol is an ‘an exceptional gateway to Europe’ but if you’re a European retailer looking for a gate that allows you to reach Europe’s largest online consumer markets quickly, cheaply and efficiently, you’d be better off looking in the UK and Germany, not Amsterdam.”

Tags: DK Fulfilment