DHL Express Australia makes international online shopping more convenient with On Demand Delivery

• On Demand Delivery offers flexible shipping options designed to enhance the customer experience for online shoppers
• The platform is tailored to meet the needs of a growing international e-commerce sector, where the majority of shipments are destined for residential addresses
• More than 3.5 million shipments were delivered via On Demand Delivery in Australia in 2016, with 'Signature Release' being the most popular option

DHL Express, the world's leading international express services provider, has officially launched On Demand Delivery - a new service that allows shippers and receivers globally to select from a range of flexible and convenient delivery options.

In recent years, the e-commerce sector has experienced significant growth, with approximately 60 percent of shipments brought into Australia by DHL Express now headed for consumers at residential addresses. Australian businesses are seizing this opportunity and are looking for ways to make purchasing online more attractive to consumers through ease of delivery services like On Demand Delivery.

This service was originally introduced in Australia on a trial basis in September 2015, and in 2016, more than 3.5 million shipments were delivered using On Demand Delivery.

"The increase of e-commerce deliveries has primarily been driven by the strong demand for high-value and premium goods in the global marketplace, as well as the emergence of start-up retailers who are expanding opportunistically to new overseas markets and therefore require a worldwide door-to-door delivery service," commented Gary Edstein, CEO, DHL Express Oceania. "The launch of On Demand Delivery is in response to the dynamic growth and to ensure that our services continue to exceed customer expectations."

With On Demand Delivery, shippers can choose to activate specific delivery options and have DHL Express notify their customers via email or SMS about a shipment's progress. Receivers can then select the delivery option that best suits their requirements via the On Demand Delivery website.

The On Demand Delivery website is mobile optimized and can be accessed from any smartphone, tablet or PC, offering receivers up to six delivery options. Shippers can incorporate their own branding into customer notifications. Receivers can schedule a delivery, arrange delivery to a nearby DHL Service Point or their own alternate address, and even request that a shipment is put on hold while they are on vacation. Delivery instructions make their way in real-time to DHL Express couriers, ensuring shipments are received at the right time and at the convenience of the receiver.

Gary added: "On Demand Delivery isn't just a new customer interface - it also represents an enhancement of our worldwide network, as we have tailored our last-mile operations to meet the specific demands of cross-border e-commerce deliveries. Thanks to On Demand Delivery, we can support the service offering of online shippers and enhance the delivery experience for their customers, while at the same time, improve our own efficiency, particularly for last-mile deliveries."

Since the trial in September 2015, the most popular delivery option among receivers has proved to be 'Signature Release', with 42 percent of consignees choosing to specify a location where a parcel can be left without signature. Following closely was 'Reschedule Your Delivery' (30 percent) and 'Collect from Service Point' (19 percent).

On Demand Delivery is now available across Asia Pacific - including Australia, China, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand - and will be in more than 100 countries and available in 45 languages globally by the end of 2017, accounting for the majority of global trade and online retail activity.