Online shopping has been one of retail’s greatest innovations. With express and one-day shipping, whatever you need can be delivered straight to your home in a timely manner with the click of a button.
Retailers that primarily live online — like Amazon and Everlane — are seeing huge success without brick and mortar shops. But as more people open up to the world of online shopping, more people are taking advantage of its vulnerabilities.
Back in 2014, “showrooming” was a growing shopping trend. The practise, which sees people browse traditional brick and mortar stores, only to later buy online, has been an issue for brick and mortar stores. But the latest shopping trend mainly affects shoppers.
“Porch pirates” are the latest trend on the rise associated with online shopping.
According to CTV News, “porch pirates” are on the rise, and they are stealing packages outside of people’s homes. Canadian online shoppers are being warned by a branch of Crime Stoppers to watch out for them.
But unfortunately, there’s not much an online shopper can do once the theft has been committed.
One Toronto resident we spoke to frequently has packages stolen from her east end home. After she began to notice a pattern of theft, she spoke with a neighbour who, shockingly, had experienced the same thing. The neighbour set up a security system and caught the thief on camera. However, when taken to the police, there was nothing that could be done. “Unless he is caught in the act, there is nothing they can do about it.”
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Online shopping delivery thefts are a crime of opportunity.
Amanda Allen from Crime Stoppers Windsor and Essex County told CTV News that shoppers should have a plan in place for deliveries made when they’re not home.
Allen says the best way to avoid “porch pirates” is to put up deterrents like security cameras, which can help police prosecute thieves. Another option is to have a neighbour pick up packages while you’re away.
However, not everyone has the luxury of a friendly neighbour that stays at home during the day.
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There are other options for those online shoppers who don’t have someone to vouch for their deliveries.
Free storage services like PenguinPickUp make for excellent options. The growing service has over 70 locations across Canada, and works with companies like Walmart and FedEx to guard packages until they can be picked up.
Amazon, many online shoppers’ favourite place to shop, offers shoppers the option of picking up parcels at Canada Post locations, or having them delivered to lockers in the Toronto and Vancouver areas.
While it takes a bit of convenience out of online shopping, it’s much less exhausting than playing detective — or losing out on your delivery.
And if all else fails, well, you could always try taking matters into your own hands like the YouTuber below.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon has announced plans to launch a new initiative called “Shipping with Amazon” that aims to directly compete with UPS and FedEX. The new program will be comprised of an end-to-end shipping system with pickups fro business and shipments made to consumers.
The service is expected to launch in LA and subsequently roll out nationally and internationally.
The program is slated to be launched with companies that sell products on Amazon and then roll the program out to any business with plans cheaper than FedEx and UPS. Following the announcement by Amazon shares in both FedEx and UPS took a dive, signifying the market’s belief in Amazon’s future success.
After 32 years of operation in Canada, shipping Giant FedEx has announced that it will be closing all FedEx Office store in Canada.
FedEx Office will close its 24 retail operations, a manufacturing plant in Markham, Ontario and the head office which is located in downtown Toronto.
The closure will see a loss of over 200 jobs but will not affect FedEx’s shipping business in Canada.
If you haven’t been in a FedEx office store lately (don’t worry we aren’t surprised) the store offers a range of business services including copying printing, sign making office supplies and packaging services.
The only people this will probably really affect are procrastinating students who need their reports printed out last minute.
Source: The Globe and Mail