The NSW Office of Fair Trading has reported a significant increase in complaints about delayed or missing retail orders. In 2023, the office received 6103 complaints, a sharp rise from 4380 in 2022 and 3780 the previous year. This trend is not confined to NSW, with similar complaint trends being reported across other Australian states and territories.

In response to what he says is the growing issue of missing or late parcel delivery, Jack Amies, cofounder and CEO of eDelivery, believes that retailers are being unfairly penalised for logistical issues beyond their control. He stated, "Retailers are in the business of providing products, not deliveries. Yet they're being punished for logistical issues that are outside their direct control. Too many retailers are suffering from negative customer reviews as a result of delivery issues."

To address this, eDelivery has launched its AI-powered Last-Mile Delivery platform. The platform aims to transform the efficiency of delivery operations for retailers and delivery companies by combining an intelligent transport management system with a crowdsourced driver network. This innovative approach aims to reduce the number of touchpoints needed to get products into customers' hands.

"This is a game-changer for the last-mile delivery sector and finally gives the opportunity for same and next-day delivery to become a mainstream option here in Australia," Amies said. He also warned that "Customer expectations are shifting, and the reality is that once they get a taste for same-day delivery, everything else will feel slow by comparison. Retailers that don't adopt are at risk of being left behind by those that do."

The platform tackles issues in the logistics chain, including tight delivery timeframes, cost efficiency, customer communications, on-demand driver network, and affordable price points. eDelivery is currently finalising initial onboarding processes, market testing, and welcoming businesses to the platform. Amies revealed, "Full market launch will take place in late 2024, early 2025."

In addition to the platform's launch, eDelivery is embarking on a funding round through Birchal, an Australian equity crowdfunding platform. "We are also embarking on a funding round through Birchal, an Australian equity crowdfunding platform to provide people with the opportunity to invest in eDelivery," Amies said.

Once launched, eDelivery plans to implement an aggressive national sales strategy targeting courier and delivery companies as well as wholesale suppliers and retail businesses. The company also has plans to expand into other key markets including Asia, the Middle East, and Europe after establishing itself in Australia.

"Once launched, we will implement an aggressive national sales strategy targeting courier and delivery companies as well as wholesale suppliers and retail businesses. Once established in Australia, we will then expand into other key markets including Asia, the Middle East and Europe," Amies stated.

The retail delivery market in Australia is projected to reach AUD $10.68 billion by the end of 2024, with an annual growth rate of 9.80 percent, resulting in a projected market volume of AUD $17.05 billion by 2029. As Amies concluded, "The delivery sector is in the process of unprecedented growth and we aim to be a key driver for this growth, not only in Australia, but across the globe, proudly using Australian technology to underpin this burgeoning industry."