Dive Brief:
- XPO Logistics launched a new service Tuesday allowing customers to track big and bulky goods shipped through the last mile using a Google search, the company said in a news release.
- When a customer Google searches "XPO Package Tracking," a box appears allowing customers to type in their tracking number and view the location of the shipment.
- The Google search interacts with XPO's existing last mile technology platforms, creating a "seamless digital experience," Mario Harik, CIO of XPO Logistics, said in the release.
Dive Insight:
Parcel tracking through a Google search is by no means a new or novel concept. Searching for "package tracking" with USPS, UPS or FedEx yields similar search results as shown in the image above.
The difference is most of these searches redirect a customer to the logistics provider's website, rather than revealing results directly on Google, as XPO's tool does.
XPO also claims it is the first company to provide last mile tracking of heavy goods directly through a Google search. The logistics provider said it facilitates 14 million last-mile deliveries, assemblies and installations of heavy goods each year.
It appears XPO is looking to tap into and capitalize on the heavy goods last-mile delivery market. Its last mile services have generated $1.1 billion in revenue this year, as of an early November earnings call. Consumers in the past have been reluctant to order large goods online, although that trend is shifting.
In an October survey, XPO found 37% of U.S. consumers planned to purchase furniture, appliances or other goods weighing more than 150 pounds within the next 12 months. The provider recently expanded its network to 85 hubs, enabling it to deliver to more customers in a shorter time frame.
