The technology behind Amazon’s ‘Pass My Parcel’

Thursday, November 20th, 2014

NetDespatch, the Software as a Service (SaaS) parcel data management platform and Blackbay, provider of mobility-enabled solutions for the transport and logistics industry, have revealed that they have jointly provided the technology which powers ‘Pass My Parcel’, the new same day Click and Collect service from Smiths News, which has been selected by Amazon for its customers in the UK.

 Announced in October, Pass My Parcel allows Amazon customers to place an order before 11am and collect at a location convenient to them until 8pm the same day, seven days per week. The parcels are being delivered by newspaper and magazine wholesaler Smiths News, using technology provided by NetDespatch’s Click and Collect integration platform, in partnership with Blackbay’s Delivery Connect software which provides complete visibility of goods throughout the entire collection and delivery process.

 Marcus Cotes, IT Director at Smiths News, comments: “We are utilising our existing distribution network and infrastructure to provide same day and next morning distribution of Amazon parcels via our network of independent retailers operating as parcel shops. NetDespatch’s platform has allowed us to receive delivery manifest data from Amazon, which is integrated with Blackbay’s Delivery Connect software, to create a single view connecting the Amazon fulfilment centres, our distribution centres and drivers, up to 1,000 store pick up locations, and our internal billing and administration systems.”
Nigel Doust, CEO, Blackbay comments: “Driven in part by the ‘Amazon Effect’ around home delivery, consumers now expect to have more control around when and how their goods are delivered, the challenge for everyone involved in retailing, shipping and logistics is how to up their game and offer collection and delivery solutions which provide choice and convenience. Working with NetDespatch, we are able to deliver innovative new services that do just that. Together we provide transport and logistics companies with an all-important competitive advantage – the ability to meet consumers’ demands for first time, on time, every time deliveries. The Amazon and Smith News Pass My Parcel service is a perfect example.”
Becky Clark, CEO, NetDespatch comments: “Between Blackbay and NetDespatch, over 15 million shipments are created, tracked and managed each day in the UK, Asia Pacific and North America Regions. The NetDespatch SaaS platforms provide proven, reliable and scalable solutions to get innovative parcel delivery propositions to market quickly, and then to scale with them. This is the reason that Smiths News chose our solution to deliver its Pass My Parcel service to Amazon.”