A surprisingly resilient consumer that has become more and more comfortable buying any and all things online, particularly big and bulky items like appliances, electronics, and home furnishings, is fueling a growth engine that’s keeping last-mile delivery providers in the money.And while uncertainty and concern around the economy, tariff impact, wage growth, jobs, and the affordability of everyday purchases is tempering many an outlook, thanks to sustained e-commerce business volumes, “the big and bulky business still remains strong,” notes Jeff Wolpov, senior vice president of e-commerce and Ryder Last Mile.“The consuming customer is more experienced, savvy, and better-informed today,” he adds. “They are using lots of [online] tools for comparison shopping,” all of which enable faster, more informed purchase decisions.Particularly with bigger-ticket “white goods” purchases, like furniture, electronics, fitness equipment, and appliances (which also likely need installation in the home), it’s not uncommon for a consumer to research products online and then visit a brick-and-mortar store to see and touch the product as the final step in the purchase decision. At that point, the last-mile provider enters the picture, and that kicks off one of the most critical, and costly, steps in the overall transaction—a step that also factors heavily into the customer’s ultimate satisfaction with that purchase.“We are the last handshake that customer experiences [in its transaction] with the retailer. So we need to provide more information [and assurance] on that experience than ever before, because the consumer is much more discerning and better educated, and has much higher…
