France-based Shopopop, which describes itself as a crowdshipping platform which encourages community members to double up as parcel delivery drivers, has entered the UK market.
It has set the target of securing a partnership with at least one major UK-based retailer by the end of the year, and the very fact it is announcing its arrival suggests the company is close to securing a significant retail contract.
Established in France in 2015 and recently achieving a position of profitability, Shopopop views itself as the European leader in crowdshipping. The business has more than 115 employees but a community of over 350,000 private individuals – i.e. the crowdshippers – which can make themselves available to deliver groceries and goods on behalf of retailers.
These crowdshippers collect items from 25-plus retailers and brands across 7,500 stores in France, including Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Decathlon, Colruyt and Interflora. To date, Shopopop has completed over 17 million deliveries across Europe, and the company’s rural delivery focus is set to be replicated in the UK.
Not positioned as a sustainability play per se, Shopopop does provide an opportunity for retailers to tap into already planned transport journeys to deliver online orders rather than sending dedicated fulfilment vehicles thus potentially minimising the number of vans required on the roads.
Shopopop, covered on the pages of Green Retail World before due to their presence at Retail Technology Show, said it has already had progressive conversations with UK retailers such as Asda, Co-op, B&Q owner Kingfisher, Morrisons and Tesco. The French business said it can provide a strong service where there are delivery driver shortages.
Johan Ricaut, Shopopop’s CEO & co-founder, commented: “The UK is known for embracing new online delivery methods and together with its strong sense of community, we see our platform as the ideal tool for rural and hard-to-reach communities to come together and support one another, forming meaningful relationships in the process.”
Antoine Truong, Shopopop’s global head of retail, remarked: “Following numerous conversations with major retailers and a thorough analysis of the wider e-commerce delivery ecosystem in the UK, we are confident Shopopop’s community-focused approach can address some of today’s most pressing issues for last-mile deliveries throughout the country.
“In particular, we are looking forward to offering new solutions for consumers in rural areas to help them access the groceries and goods they require on a daily basis, delivered by trusted members of their community.”
[image credit: Shopopop]
