The "sandwich order" of delivery refers to the delivery platform arranging multiple orders to the same delivery person to fulfill multiple orders in one delivery route. The purpose of this arrangement is to improve delivery efficiency and reduce logistics costs. However, this model also brings some challenges and impacts, both to customers, delivery workers, and the platform itself.
How the Clip Order Works
- System Arrangements: The delivery platform's system assigns multiple neighboring orders to the same delivery person based on the order's geographic location, meal preparation time, and delivery route. For example, if Restaurant A and Restaurant B are located in the same area and the delivery location is on the same route, the system will "package" these orders to the delivery person.
- Order of DeliveryDelivery: Delivery crews are required to complete deliveries in the order specified by the system. This may cause some orders to be slightly delayed, especially if the first order in the folder is far away.
- Order Optimization: The platform will optimize orders based on real-time algorithms to minimize the total distance traveled by the delivery person, while taking into account the waiting time of both the restaurant and the customer.
The Benefits of Clipping Orders
- increase efficiency::
- Delivery workers can fulfill multiple orders in a single trip, saving time and costs on round trips.
- The platform is able to handle more orders and increase resource utilization.
- reduce costs::
- The platform saves on additional costs for single deliveries, such as fuel subsidies.
- Customers enjoy lower delivery costs, especially during peak hours.
- Reducing environmental impacts::
- Transporting multiple orders in a single trip helps reduce carbon emissions and is a more environmentally friendly option.
Possible Problems with Clip Orders
- Customer dissatisfaction::
- Sometimes customers find that their meals arrive later than expected, especially if the delivery person needs to fulfill other orders first.
- The quality of food may be affected, e.g. food becomes cold due to delay.
- Pressure on Delivery Workers::
- Delivery workers need to handle multiple orders and may face higher pressure on delivery accuracy and timeliness.
- If a customer is unhappy with a delay, the delivery person may be the target of a complaint.
- Platform Evaluation Impact::
- If the frequency of order fulfillment leads to delays, it may affect the overall user satisfaction of the platform.
How to deal with order fulfillment
- Select peak hours to place your order: Order pinching is more common during peak hours, so if customers are in urgent need of a meal, they can avoid placing an order during this time.
- Using the Remarks Function: Some platforms allow customers to note "avoid pinching orders as much as possible", which may be adjusted by the delivery person according to the situation.
- Choose Exclusive Delivery: Some platforms offer dedicated delivery options (e.g. uber can add an extra fee to avoid clamping).
