Driven by a variety of factors, a new report finds the onslaught of packages continues.
Online marketplaces have benefited from the change in consumer spending because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Online retailers and traditional brick-and-mortar stores have transitioned to shopping experiences that meet consumers’ needs. This has been seen in communities, where package processing is up 50% compared to 2019, according to new data from automated locker provider Package Concierge.
“While last year’s package numbers were sky high being in the middle of the pandemic, we’ve seen these trends remain at levels traditionally only experienced during the holiday shopping season, even in light of the optimism around declining case numbers and the vaccine earlier this year,” said Donna Logback, Marketing Director for Package Concierge, in a release. “The data is crystal clear: Properties who have already made an automated package management solution part of their amenities have been at a huge advantage over the past two years – and that's a trend that will continue well into the foreseeable future.”
Back-to-school shopping has also played a role in the heightened online shopping volume. The “Annual Total Package Report” reveals transaction volume was up 7% this back-to-school shopping season, and volume was ahead of 2019 by 35%.
Communities with automated solutions managed 68% more packages in the second quarter of 2021 compared to Q2 2019.
“The onslaught of packages that we’ve seen across our portfolio of properties over the last few years is tremendous,” said Keith Gillan, President of property management company Murn Management, in the release. “Last year our properties saw over a 165 percent increase in the number of packages they were processing each day.”