Investigation of Home Delivery Models and Logistics Services in China

Author(s):  
Liying Song ◽  
Baohua Mao ◽  
Zhengqiang Wu ◽  
Jun Wang

The last-mile issue is of great concern in coping with the considerable development of the internet shopping market in China. Several issues arise from home delivery activities for fulfilling internet shopping orders; for example, increased operating costs for handling failed home deliveries, and deteriorating traffic conditions resulting from frequent delivery trips. To improve the logistics efficiency of home delivery operations and solve the problem of delivery failures, pick-up points (PPs) and self-delivery boxes (SDBs) are being implemented in China. This study investigates three home delivery models including the traditional model, the PP model, and the SDB model. Under each model, the carrier’s delivery distance and the customer’s collection distance are calculated. According to the distance, the costs of the three delivery models are compared. To simulate the carrier’s delivery route, an ant colony algorithm combined with genetic algorithm is developed to optimize the delivery route in this research. The research findings are: (1) Both the PP model and the SDB model are capable of reducing the customer’s collection cost significantly, by between 29.1% and 84%, when at least 30% of home deliveries are missed. (2) The SDB model is more favorable in relation to reducing the delivery costs of the express company, by between 67.1% and 71.3% when the proportion of missed home deliveries ranges from 20% to 50%. (3) Among PPs using the post office, convenience store, and subway station, the subway station network is the most effective scheme in relation to reducing the customer’s collection cost, by 84%.

Author(s):  
Maren Schnieder ◽  
Chris Hinde ◽  
Andrew West

Global concerns about the environmental effects (e.g., pollution, land use, noise) of last-mile deliveries are increasing. Parcel lockers are seen as an option to reduce these external effects of last-mile deliveries. The contributions of this paper are threefold: firstly, the research studies simulating the emissions caused by parcel delivery to lockers are summarized. Secondly, a demand model for parcel deliveries in New York City (NYC) is created for 365 days and delivery trips to lockers and homes are optimized for 20 “real-world” scenarios. Thirdly, using the emission factors included in the HandBook Emission Factors for Road Transport (HBEFA) database, the maximum percentage of customers who could pick up a parcel by car from parcel lockers that would result in fewer total emissions (driving customers + walking customers) than if home deliveries were adopted is calculated for various pollutants and scenario assumptions (i.e., street types, temperature, parking duration, level of service and vehicle drivetrain). This paper highlights how small changes in the calibration can significantly change the results and therefore using average values for emission factors or only considering one pollutant like most studies may not be appropriate.


Logistics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Cheng Cheng ◽  
Takanori Sakai ◽  
André Alho ◽  
Lynette Cheah ◽  
Moshe Ben-Akiva

The rapid growth in online shopping and associated parcel deliveries prompts investigation of the factors that contribute to parcel delivery demand. In this study, we evaluated the influence of locational and household characteristics on e-commerce home delivery demand. While past research has largely focused on the impacts of the adoption of online shopping using individual/household survey data, we made use of data from an e-commerce carrier. A linear regression model was estimated considering factors such as degree of urbanization, transit and shopping accessibility, and household attributes. The results both confirm and contradict prior research findings, highlighting the potential for a non-negligible influence of the local context on demand for parcel deliveries.


Author(s):  
Madhumita Mukherjee ◽  
Rashmi Singh ◽  
Amrita Mukherjee ◽  
Madhulekha Bhattacharya

Background: India’s Janany Surakhsha Yojana (JSY) is the largest conditional cash transfer (CCT) program in the world in terms of the number of beneficiaries - covering about 9·5 million (36%) of 26 million women giving birth in India. Eleven States/UTs including Bihar, are still below the National estimate for institutional delivery of 78.9% (NFHS 4). In this study we attempted to find out the status of institutional and home deliveries in district Arwal of Bihar and reasons why in spite of cash incentives a proportion of mothers are opting for home delivery.Methods: A cross sectional descriptive design was used to interview 407 women, who had given birth to a child in previous one year. Focuss group discussions was held with community and health staff to corroborate the interview data.Results: Fifty nine percent of mothers were found to have preferred home delivery over institutional one. Reasons which came to light were home deliveries are cheaper (24.1%), unawareness about JSY (22%), unavailability of transport to reach hospital (22%) and better care being taken at home delivery (20.1%) variables. Older age, having a BPL card, and literacy of husband were found as favoring institutional delivery whereas dissatisfaction during a previous abortion or a livebirth in hospital were both associated with non-use.Conclusions: Better client awareness, strengthening of public health infrastructure, availability of skilled birth attendants at health subcentres (HSCs) and emergency transport in time can reduce number of home deliveries and lead to success of JBSY programme and subsequent reduction in maternal morbidity and mortality.


SURG Journal ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 40-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Ellen Wales

It is evident that convenience plays a prominent role in the food choices of today’s consumers. A trend having begun throughout the Western world, consumer demand for convenience foods is now on the rise around the globe. The growing presence of drive-thru windows, microwave dinners, take-out meals, home delivery for groceries and internet shopping, all demonstrate the importance of convenience in determining food choices. Costa et al. have argued that convenience itself determines where, when, why, what, how, and even with whom we eat. Several studies have examined the role that convenience plays in determining food choices, in particular, studies looking at the role of convenience in relation to full meal preparation and/ or consumption.The two areas of investigation will be 1) the dimensions of convenience as a part of the meal preparation and consumption processe, and 2) the individual characteristics of consumers and how they value these dimensions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 90-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Mahbubul Hoque ◽  
Mohammad Faizul Haque Khan ◽  
Jotsna Ara Begum ◽  
MAK Azad Chowdhury ◽  
Lars Ake Persson

Background: Despite proven cost effective intervention, there has been little change in neonatal mortality. In Bangladesh neonatal mortality accounts for two third of infants death. About 90% deliveries take place in home and majority of neonatal death are taking place within 7 days of birth. Information about reasons for delivering at home and newborn care practices will be useful to undertake simple intervention measures by policy makers.Aims and objective: To see the knowledge, perception and behaviour of mothers towards their normal and sick newborn.Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in Dhaka Shishu Hospital from June to November, 2007. A semistructured, pretested questionnaire was used to interview mothers attending inpatient (IPD) and outpatient department (OPD) of hospital.Results: A total 198 mothers were interviewed. Home deliveries were 35.5% and Institutional were 64.5%. Among the Institutional deliveries 35% (44 out of 127) were planned and tried first at home, but when failed mothers were taken to hospital. Majority (86%) of home deliveries were conducted by Dai/relatives. Umbilical cord was cut with new/boiled blade in 85% of home deliveries and household knife was used in 4% cases. Birth place were not at all heated in all home deliveries. In 32 % of home deliveries babies were given bath within 1 hour of birth and it was 15% in case of hospital deliveries. Forty-eight percent babies of home deliveries were wrapped within 10 minutes. Prelacteal feed was given in 51% of home deliveries in comparison to 23% of institutional deliveries. The rate of initiation of breast feeding within one hour of birth was 52% in home and 35% in institutional deliveries. In all cases breast milk was given within 48 hours. Main reasons cited for delivering at home were preference (43%) and fear about hospital (39%). In case of educated (graduate) mothers 72% deliveries took place at hospital. Less feeding (56%), vomiting (42%), less movement (32%), fever (29%) and cough (27%) could be recognized by mothers as signs of sickness.Conclusion: Home deliveries and poor newborn care practices are commonly found in this study. Traditional birth attendants should be adequately trained as they are conducting majority of home deliveries. Female education is very important to reduce home delivery as it is seen that deliveries of educated mothers are taking place in hospital. High risk traditional newborn care practices like delayed wrapping, early bathing, use of oil in umbilical stump and prelacteal feeding need to be addressed. This study also found that knowledge to identify sickness in newborn is still poor.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjch.v35i3.10497  Bangladesh J Child Health 2011; Vol 35 (3): 90-96


2014 ◽  
Vol 962-965 ◽  
pp. 1444-1449
Author(s):  
Guang Yong Yang

With development of internet network, more traditional brick-and-mortar firms sell products via online channels. The key feature of online channels is home delivery, hence, how to design efficient online logistics networks has been the core problem faced by online firms. Furthermore, with increasing pollution of ecological environment and global warming, more carbon emission regulations enacted and implemented also impact firms operation and decision. This paper mainly study online logistics networks design constraint from carbon emission regulations. We analyze the following three types of networks, dropping delivery network (D), delivery network via distribution center (W), and last mile delivery network (L). Combining carbon emission from inbound and outbound transportation, and emission from inventory storage, we design optimal logistics networks and then analyze online logistics network design of Sunfeng best choice firm.


Author(s):  
Sameh M. Saad ◽  
Ramin Bahadori

"The Last mile delivery is known as one of the most costly and highest polluting stages within the food supply chain where food companies deliver the food products to the final consumers. As a new approach in this area, currently, a few food retailers offering pick up point service delivery using lockers. This paper provides a comprehensive comparison of the sustainability performance between home service delivery and picks up point service delivery using lockers. Hypothetical last mile food models for both approaches are developed. A Vehicle Route Problem with Time Window (VRPTW) is developed to minimise the CO2 emission and implemented using the simulated annealing algorithm which is programmed in MATLAB software. Supply Chain GURU Software is adapted to implement the Greenfield analysis to identify the optimal number and the location of the locker facilities through a Greenfield service constraint."


Author(s):  
Ireen Chola Mwape Musonda

Luapula Province has the highest maternal mortality and one of the lowest facility-based births in Zambia. The distance to facilities limits facility-based births for women in rural areas. In 2013, the government incorporated maternity homes into the health system at the community level to increase facility-based births and reduce maternal mortality. Despite the policy to stopping traditional birth attendants from conducting deliveries at home and encouraging all women to give birth at the health facility under skilled care, many women still give birth at home. An exploratory cross section survey was used to gather data by conducting structured interviews with 50 women of childbearing age who had a recent or previous home delivery. The following factors were found to be associated with home deliveries in surrounding villages in kashikishi; abrupt onset/precipitate labor, long distance/transport difficulties to reach the nearest health facility, having had successful HD, poverty/low income and gender though having a small percentage. Parity in which the majority were multiparas’ women, attitude was also associated with home deliveries and other unforeseen circumstances such as a funeral and being alone at home at the onset of labour.


Author(s):  
Alicia N. Weber ◽  
J. A. Badenhorst-Weiss

Background: The intense competition between grocery retailers to access new revenue streams has seen brick-and-mortar retailers broadening their services to offer consumers the option of ordering their groceries over the Internet. This is implemented through the implementation of different platforms such as their computer or mobile application − known as omnichannel retailing. Omnichannel grocery retailers are facing several challenges with the last mile of their online supply chain, especially with relation to the home delivery of groceries.Objectives: The purpose of the article was to gain an understanding of the nature of last-mile logistical challenges hindering the efficiency of an omnichannel grocery retailer in South Africa.Method: A qualitative methodology was employed; data were collected through an interview with the e-commerce operation manager of a well-known omnichannel grocery retailer in South Africa as well as through two focus group discussions conducted with consumers who regularly purchase items online and those who have never purchased any item online. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: The findings suggested that there are four major last-mile logistical challenges facing the South African omnichannel grocery retailer considered in this study. The challenges are reliable order fulfilment, cold distribution chain requirements, physical distribution and reverse logistics.Conclusion: The findings of this article suggest that many of the last-mile challenges experienced by the omnichannel grocery retailer stem from the inefficient management of information (data) along the supply chain. To alleviate the last-mile logistical challenges identified in this article, emphasis should be placed on implementing a fully integrated information sharing system.


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