When a business needs to make multiple deliveries from the same location, booking each delivery individually isn’t always the most efficient approach.
A retailer, wholesaler, pharmacy, food business or other organisation might have dozens of orders leaving the same store or warehouse each day. Instead of treating every order as a separate courier job, those deliveries can potentially be grouped into an organised delivery run.
This is commonly known as multi-drop delivery.
In this guide, we’ll explain how multi-drop delivery works, when it makes sense and what businesses should consider when choosing a multi-drop delivery provider.
What Is Multi-Drop Delivery?
Multi-drop delivery involves collecting multiple orders from one pickup location and delivering them to multiple destinations as part of the same delivery run.
For example, a business may have:
- one warehouse
- 30 customer orders
- 30 delivery addresses
- one organised delivery run
Rather than arranging 30 separate courier bookings, the deliveries can be grouped together and the route planned around the different destinations.
This model is particularly useful for businesses with recurring local or metropolitan delivery requirements.
How Does Multi-Drop Delivery Work?
Although the exact process varies between providers, a typical multi-drop delivery operation involves:
- The business prepares multiple orders for dispatch.
- Delivery addresses and order information are provided to the delivery platform.
- The deliveries are grouped into a run.
- A delivery route is planned or optimised.
- A driver collects the orders from the pickup location.
- The driver completes the deliveries along the route.
- Delivery status and proof of delivery are recorded.
The objective is to manage multiple deliveries as one coordinated operation rather than a collection of unrelated courier bookings.
Multi-Drop Delivery vs Individual Courier Bookings
The main difference is how the deliveries are organised.
With individual courier bookings, each delivery may effectively be treated as its own job.
With multi-drop delivery, multiple orders can be grouped into a single delivery run.
For businesses sending significant numbers of orders from the same location, this can simplify operations and potentially make better use of driver time and vehicle capacity.
An individual on-demand courier may still make more sense when there is only one urgent delivery.
1. Route Optimisation
One of the biggest challenges with multiple deliveries is deciding the order in which they should be completed.
An inefficient route can result in:
- unnecessary kilometres
- longer driving times
- increased delivery costs
- fewer deliveries completed within the available time
Route optimisation technology can help determine a more efficient sequence for completing multiple stops.
This becomes increasingly important as the number of delivery addresses grows.
2. Dedicated Delivery Runs
Businesses with recurring delivery volumes may benefit from having a driver or vehicle allocated to a particular delivery run.
Instead of repeatedly finding a courier for each individual order, the business can plan around a more structured delivery process.
This can be useful for businesses that regularly dispatch multiple orders from the same store, warehouse or distribution location.
3. Tracking Multiple Deliveries
Managing 30 or 50 deliveries creates a different visibility challenge from tracking a single parcel.
Businesses need to understand what’s happening across the entire delivery run while still being able to investigate an individual delivery when necessary.
A useful multi-drop delivery platform should therefore provide visibility at both levels.
The operations team should be able to monitor the run, while individual delivery information remains available when a customer asks about their order.
4. Customer Delivery Updates
Customers still expect visibility even when their order is one of many deliveries being completed by the same driver.
Depending on the service, delivery communications may include:
- tracking information
- delivery progress updates
- delivery notifications
- unsuccessful delivery information
- completion notifications
Keeping recipients informed can also reduce the number of “Where is my order?” enquiries reaching the business.
5. Proof of Delivery
Businesses should be able to confirm whether each delivery in a multi-drop run has been completed.
Depending on the delivery service, digital proof of delivery may include:
- delivery status
- completion time
- photographs
- signatures
- other delivery information
This provides an individual delivery record even though multiple orders were completed as part of the same run.
6. Delivery Windows
Not every delivery in a multi-drop run has the same requirements.
A business might be delivering to a mixture of:
- homes
- apartments
- offices
- schools
- hospitals
- retail locations
Some destinations may have specific receiving hours or delivery requirements.
Businesses should therefore consider how their delivery provider handles different destination types and delivery windows when planning a run.
7. Changing Delivery Addresses
One advantage of a flexible multi-drop model is that the destinations don’t necessarily have to remain the same every day.
An ecommerce retailer, for example, might dispatch from the same warehouse each morning while the customer addresses change completely from one day to the next.
The important constant is the pickup operation and delivery volume, rather than a permanently fixed route.
This distinguishes flexible multi-drop delivery from some traditional scheduled distribution routes.
8. Cost of Multi-Drop Delivery
The cost of multi-drop delivery depends on the provider and delivery model.
Businesses should look beyond the headline price and consider the efficiency of the complete run.
Relevant factors can include:
- number of deliveries
- distance between stops
- total route distance
- delivery area
- vehicle requirements
- delivery windows
- unsuccessful deliveries
- time required to complete the run
For businesses making multiple deliveries, it can be more useful to evaluate the cost of the overall delivery operation rather than simply comparing the price of one delivery.
What Types of Businesses Use Multi-Drop Delivery?
Multi-drop delivery can be relevant to many types of businesses.
Examples include:
Ecommerce Retailers
Orders can be collected from a warehouse or store and delivered to multiple customers within the service area.
Retail Stores
A store can use local inventory to fulfil multiple customer deliveries.
Wholesalers and Distributors
Multiple customer orders can leave a warehouse as part of an organised delivery run.
Food and Beverage Businesses
Businesses making multiple scheduled deliveries may benefit from grouping orders into efficient routes, subject to appropriate handling requirements.
Healthcare and Pharmacy Businesses
Businesses making multiple deliveries to customers or facilities may require organised delivery runs, subject to the requirements applicable to the goods being transported.
Business-to-Business Suppliers
Companies regularly supplying offices, stores or other businesses can use multi-drop runs to manage multiple destinations from a central pickup point.
When Does Multi-Drop Delivery Make Sense?
Multi-drop delivery is worth considering when your business:
- regularly has multiple deliveries ready at the same location
- delivers to multiple customers within a defined geographic area
- wants to reduce the administration of individual courier bookings
- needs visibility across multiple deliveries
- has delivery volumes that change from day to day
- wants to make better use of route planning and driver capacity
If you only have one urgent delivery, an on-demand courier may be more appropriate.
If you’re dispatching large volumes of parcels through a next-day parcel network, a service designed for ecommerce parcel delivery may be more suitable.
The right delivery model depends on how your business actually operates.
How GoBUNDLE Works
GoBUNDLE is GoPeople’s multi-drop delivery service for businesses making multiple deliveries from a pickup location.
Instead of booking every delivery independently, businesses can group deliveries into a run.
GoPeople’s technology can then support the delivery operation with route optimisation, tracking and digital delivery information.
Delivery destinations can change between runs, making GoBUNDLE suitable for businesses where customer addresses vary from day to day.
GoBUNDLE vs Other GoPeople Services
Different delivery requirements call for different delivery models.
GoEXPRESS — Next-Day Delivery
Designed for businesses with regular parcel volumes requiring next-day delivery through the GoEXPRESS network.
GoSAMEDAY — Same-Day Delivery
Designed for eligible business orders requiring delivery within the same day.
GoVIP — On-Demand Courier
Designed for urgent and time-sensitive individual deliveries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a multi-drop delivery?
Multi-drop delivery involves collecting multiple orders from one location and delivering them to multiple destinations as part of an organised delivery run.
Is multi-drop delivery cheaper than booking individual couriers?
It can be more efficient for businesses making multiple deliveries, but the actual cost depends on factors including delivery volume, route distance, delivery area and service requirements. Businesses should compare the total cost of the delivery operation rather than assuming one model will always be cheaper.
Do the delivery addresses need to be the same every day?
Not necessarily. A business may dispatch regularly from the same pickup location while its customer delivery addresses change from day to day.
What is route optimisation?
Route optimisation uses delivery information such as destinations and routing conditions to help determine an efficient sequence for completing multiple delivery stops.
Can customers track a multi-drop delivery?
This depends on the provider and service. GoPeople provides delivery tracking and digital delivery information for its delivery services.
What is the difference between GoBUNDLE and GoVIP?
GoBUNDLE is designed for businesses making multiple deliveries as part of a delivery run. GoVIP is GoPeople’s on-demand courier service for urgent and time-sensitive individual deliveries.
What is the difference between GoBUNDLE and GoEXPRESS?
GoBUNDLE is a multi-drop delivery model where multiple deliveries are organised into a run. GoEXPRESS is GoPeople’s next-day parcel delivery service for businesses with regular parcel volumes.
Need to Make Multiple Deliveries?
If your business regularly sends multiple orders from a store, warehouse or other pickup location, GoPeople can assess your delivery volumes and requirements to determine whether GoBUNDLE is suitable.