How startups are trying to solve the notorious ‘last mile’ challenges of home deliveries

Fast, free delivery has become table stakes for e-commerce success, but it comes at a price.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic began driving the boom in e-commerce, logistics-service providers were looking at options for automating home deliveries. But with e-commerce sales in Canada jumping by almost 21 per cent in 2020 and spending hitting $52.04-billion, according to retail-research firm eMarketer, the pressure is on to make the last mile – as the logistics industry calls home deliveries – more efficient.