Online brokers are becoming a significant player in the courier services market. Their clients are mainly online stores, companies trading on auction portals, and individuals sending parcels occasionally. Due to the scale effect, brokers are able to offer significantly lower prices than a direct operator. The volume that an intermediary guarantees to a courier company directly influences the size of the discounts they receive. The more clients a brokerage firm has, the greater the discounts it has at its disposal – and therefore, it has lower prices.
– Our research shows that brokers facilitate the shipment of nearly a million parcels per year. Among them, five companies play a key role, accounting for as much as 80% of the total volume. Everything indicates that the market will undergo a further consolidation process – says Michał Łaska, owner of the DwiePaczki.pl service.
The report points to UPS as the most frequently chosen contractor (33% of brokers). Subsequent positions are held by: DHL (20%) and DPD (17%). UPS also dominates among brokers who base their operations solely on one courier company. It accounts for as much as 1/3 of the aforementioned market segment. Polish companies generally have an agreement signed with one courier. However, it happens that they cooperate with two or three partners. In this way, they reduce the risk of missing delivery deadlines in the event of a heavy load on one of the operators. The data contained in the report show that 30% of brokerage firm clients settle their dues based on an issued invoice. This means that their clients are business entities. For intermediaries, they represent the most valuable source of orders, as they ensure regular revenue.