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BID TO TURN THE DELIVERY INDUSTRY ON ITS HEAD
Added: (Tue Mar 21 2006)
A young Sheffield business entrepreneur has just launched a website tipped for success here in the UK and in the States.
Award winning internet expert Russell Paul, 26, is the brains behind Bid2Deliver.co.uk. A site enabling individuals and businesses to post free listings of items they need delivering, allowing registered ‘deliverers’ to bid to deliver the items at the best price.
He explained: "Moving smaller and lighter items is relatively simple thanks to our postal service, but transporting heavier and bulky items often proves to be a hassle and very expensive. It can mean spending time ringing around lots of delivery companies for the best possible prices. In the end it can be cheaper to simply hire a van. But then there is the hassle, fuel costs and not forgetting the time.
"Bid2Deliver.co.uk fills that gap by allowing registered deliverers the opportunity to bid to deliver the items listed on the website. In many cases the deliverer is travelling that way anyway and so can offer the delivery at a fraction of the usual cost.”
Bid2Deliver.co.uk believes that the biggest benefit of the website is that tens of thousands of delivery vehicles are currently travelling up and down the country with space in their vehicles and can therefore earn money by delivering items listed on the website. In many instances they are already making deliveries and travelling back with an empty load. This is a perfect opportunity for the deliverers to log on to the website in advance and bid on deliveries for the return trip.
Russell said: "This is a win/win situation for both parties. The deliverer can earn more money by transporting extra items that are listed on the website thus making fuel savings. The sender or receiver will subsequently benefit from hugely reduced rates.”
The website allows deliverers to search for deliveries locally, nationally and globally. So whether it is an item that needs moving from one side of town to the other or from one side of the world to the other, Bid2Deliver.co.uk offers that facility.
It is free to place a listing on the website and free for deliverers to register and bid on items in need of delivery. Should a deliverer have a successful bid then a small percentage of the delivery cost is passed on to Bid2Deliver.co.uk.
There are two types of deliverers, commercial and private. Commercial deliverers are businesses trading as registered delivery companies such as couriers and local independent drivers. Private deliverers are individuals with access to suitable delivery vehicles.
“The beauty of the system is that there are never any fees for the person placing the listing. There is no obligation to accept a bid on a listing; however, if a suitable bid is found then the auction can be ended early if desired.”
Bid2Deliver.co.uk feels that their website will also have a significant positive impact on the environment, protecting the planet by reducing carbon emissions.
Russell added: “Fewer delivery vehicles being on the roads with empty loads will inevitably decrease the amount of wasted journeys, and ‘empty runs’, therefore benefiting the environment due to a fall in fuel consumption.”
This comes only weeks after the Government pledged to spend £1.3m training Britain’s white van drivers in how to help the environment through improving their driving habits.
Bid2Deliver.co.uk has already been recognised by internet experts as the missing link in e-commerce and is tipped for huge success in the future. The company is shortly set to also launch in the United States.
Visit the website at http://www.bid2deliver.co.uk