LONDON & EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Metapack has become the world’s first eCommerce delivery technology company to enable the seamless passing of what3words addresses to logistics partners.
what3words is a location technology that has divided the world into a grid of 3-meter squares and labelled each one with a unique combination of three words: a what3words address. This means that every entrance has its own unique address, whether that’s a home front door, or a specific entry point to a warehouse or residential complex. It also means every parking space, garden shed and safe space can be easily identified as a delivery point. It’s crucial to know exactly where a package should be dropped off, especially when fulfilling contact-free deliveries. what3words addresses are unique, they cover the entire world and are available in 47 different languages.
As a leading provider of delivery management technology to global brands and retailers and with access to a library of 400+ carriers and 4,900 delivery services, Metapack operates at the heart of the delivery ecosystem. Adding what3words addresses enables efficient, consistent and highly accurate deliveries for its partners, particularly in the last mile.
Duncan Licence, Metapack’s VP of Global Product, explains, “I’m excited about the possibilities what3words’ innovative solution brings – we’re both trying to make a difference when it comes to first-time delivery at a time when it’s never been more important. Now that we can accept what3words, logistics partners can receive a what3words address from any eCommerce retailer at the same time as all other necessary logistics information, helping them to drive efficiencies across their supply chain and logistic operations.”
Street addresses are not unique; for example, there are over 4,000 Washington Streets in the United States, 37 different Victoria Roads in London and 632 Juarez Streets in Mexico City. what3words addresses, on the other hand, are all unique to avoid confusion. Duplicated addresses can lead to customers accidentally selecting the wrong option from a drop-down menu. Addresses are also not precise. Zip codes frequently cover large areas, especially in rural locations. Map searches typically drop pins in the center of buildings, and many places, like large warehouses with multiple entrances, don’t have an accurate address.
Research has found that 19% of failed deliveries are caused by inaccurate address information.1 The end result for eCommerce and logistics providers is inevitably a poor customer experience, with the study also finding that 62% of shoppers report experiencing the frustration of late or failed deliveries. Alongside side, recent Metapack’s research highlights that almost 40% of shoppers said they would not return to a retailer following a bad delivery experience.2
Chris Sheldrick, co-founder and CEO of what3words, adds that “every eCommerce retailer that accepts a what3words address at checkout via our plugin is playing a key role in elevating the customer delivery experience. Enabling Metapack to receive a what3words address and pass it directly to carriers means that customers can provide extremely accurate delivery locations and receive their parcels first time, every time. It’s a simple addition that can truly make a huge difference to people all over the world.”
Retailers can specify a what3words location for a consignment in Metapack Delivery Manager in two ways: under the Delivery Manager Delivery tab when Creating a Delivery; or in a single API call that creates the consignment.
To find out more about Metapack’s Delivery Manager, please visit: https://www.metapack.com/software/shipping/
About what3words
Find your what3words address here.
Co-founded in London in 2013 by Chris Sheldrick, what3words is the simplest way to talk about location. The system covers the entire world, never needs updating, and works offline. A what3words address is a human-friendly way to share very precise locations with other people, or to input them into platforms and machines such as ride-hailing apps or e-commerce checkouts. It is optimized for voice input and contains built-in error prevention to immediately identify and correct input mistakes.
The free what3words app, available for iOS and Android, and the online map enable people to find, share and navigate to what3words addresses in over 45 languages to date. Millions of what3words addresses are in use around the world, with thousands of businesses using them to save money, be more efficient and provide a better customer experience. what3words is integrated into apps, platforms and websites, with just a few lines of code. Products are available for free or for a nominal fee for qualifying NGOs. Its partners include Mercedes-Benz, Triumph Motorcycles, Premier Inn, the AA and many emergency services across the world.
what3words has a team of over 100 people, across offices in London UK, San-Francisco USA, Johannesburg ZA and Ulaanbaatar Mongolia. The company has raised over £50 million in capital from investors such as Intel, Aramex, Deutsche Bahn, SAIC and the Sony Investment Fund.
About Metapack
Founded in 1999, Metapack helps eCommerce and delivery professionals meet consumers’ growing expectations of delivery, while maintaining and optimizing operational efficiency. Metapack’s SaaS solution offers a wide range of personalized delivery services, from global order tracking to simplified return procedures, through a catalogue of 400+ carriers and 4,900+ services available that span every country in the world. Thanks to Metapack, more than 550 million packages are sent annually by any of the world’s leading eCommerce retailers. Metapack is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stamps.com (Nasdaq: STMP). Find out more: www.metapack.com
1 Fixing failed deliveries, Improving data quality in retail: Study of 300 retailers in the U.S., U.K. and Germany run by Loqate-GBG in 2018.
2 https://info.metapack.com/Global-eCommerce-Consumer-Report--Exec-Summary.htm
