Deliveries are known as contactless when no physical contact occurs between the delivery person and recipient. This delivery method became necessary during the COVID 19 health crisis for packages that did not fit into letterboxes. It is made possible thanks to digital innovations.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, any deliveries which used to be done in person resorted to IT solutions to help avoid spreading the virus. Some solutions are still being tested, and others already work remarkably well. They have changed our relationship to the e-commerce world, by completely removing the only human link that bounds the company to its end customer.
This kind of delivery will no doubt become more and more widespread, thus eliminating former delivery methods that required a handwritten signature. During the lockdown period, home deliveries appeared as essential operations; they were authorised, but contact with the delivery person was readjusted. Preserving worker and customer health is a key factor. Contactless deliveries therefore became increasingly frequent, using electronic signatures instead of manual ones.
The French Government ruled on the “Health and safety precautions to be complied with when delivering packages”. Conditions are as follows:
If they are to become standard, will these solutions change relations between companies and customers? Who will show proof of delivery in its legal sense if there is a dispute?
Another delivery method previously studied before the pandemic based on mechanical means instead of human ones. Indeed, drones would do all the deliveries. They have been useful in transporting medical equipment in China during the health crisis.
Source of the figures: https://www.bs-conseils.fr/index.php/2020/04/01/les-services-de-livraisons-e-commerce-et-limpact-du-coronavirus-covid-19/ / https://www.fevad.com/enquete-sur-limpact-du-covid-19-sur-le-e-commerce-francais/https://www.bs-conseils.fr/index.php/2020/07/13/b2c-chiffres-cles-du-e-commerce-aux-particuliers-en-france-2020/