The Sharing Economy Concept

At its core, the sharing economy is about people being able to share their unused or surplus goods with others to enable a more sustainable and efficient use of these resources. Digital platforms are often used to facilitate the exchange.

The concept of the sharing economy has gained significant traction in recent years and is seen as a potential solution to some of our biggest societal challenges – from environmental issues to social ills to financial constraints. This form of sharing has found its way into many industries – including the logistics sector.

Sharing economy in logistics

The term sharing economy in logistics refers to the use of collaborative logistics solutions to optimize transportation and supply chain management. But why is the sharing economy so relevant in logistics in particular?

For one thing, cost pressure is increasing due to growing demands from customers. On the other hand, there are more and more start-ups in the logistics sector that offer innovative solutions and thus challenge traditional business models.

Collaborative logistics

Collaborative logistics is a key component of sharing economy logistics. Collaborative logistics involves sharing transportation and warehousing resources with other companies, which helps reduce costs and increase efficiency. For example, a company may share a truckload with another company that has a similar destination, reducing the number of trucks on the road and minimizing empty miles. This approach not only lowers transportation costs, but also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions by requiring fewer trucks to transport the same amount of goods.

Another example of collaborative logistics is shared warehousing. A company can team up with another company to share warehouse space. This sharing can also help a company operate more sustainably and reduce environmental impact by reducing the need to build new warehouse space.

Increasing efficiency in the last mile is another key component in sharing economy logistics, e.g. through crowdsourcing.

Crowdsourcing and peer-to-peer logistics

Crowdsourcing and peer-to-peer logistics are two approaches in the sharing economy that aim to make last-mile parcel delivery more efficient.

Crowdsourcing involves outsourcing logistics tasks to a large group of people or companies. This means that various delivery services or individuals who have vehicles can be hired to deliver packages. By leveraging this broad pool of potential suppliers, logistics companies can optimize delivery and make it more flexible by having access to a larger number of delivery people. This enables faster and more efficient delivery to customers.

Peer-to-peer logistics, on the other hand, is based on the idea that individuals or companies can share their own transportation resources. This means that individuals traveling on a similar route, for example, can team up and pick up packages for others. This reduces empty runs and makes more efficient use of existing transportation capacity. Peer-to-peer logistics thus enables more cost-effective delivery and helps optimize the use of resources.

Both approaches offer benefits such as flexibility, cost savings and faster delivery of parcels. They enable logistics companies to draw on the resources and expertise of a broad community of deliverers and thus increase customer satisfaction.

Advantages of sharing economy logistics

Overall, the sharing economy offers numerous opportunities for companies in the logistics sector in terms of increased efficiency and innovative strength. It opens up new opportunities for logistics companies to utilize unused resources and optimize their processes. In this way, logistics companies can offer flexible solutions that meet customers’ changing requirements and provide them with greater convenience and accessibility.

Sharing economy logistics also emphasizes sustainability, which is an important consideration for companies looking to reduce their environmental impact. Sustainable logistics solutions can include using alternative fuels, such as electric or hybrid vehicles, and optimizing transportation routes to reduce fuel consumption and emissions. In addition, sharing economy logistics can help reduce the environmental impact of logistics operations by reducing the number of trucks on the road and minimizing the need to build new warehouses.

Saloodo! is a prime example of how the principles of the sharing economy can be applied to the logistics industry. Saloodo! focuses on the sharing aspect by providing a digital platform that allows shippers and carriers to share their available resources and capacity with others. Freight forwarders can offer their available trucks and services, and shippers can make flexible use of it. This sharing of resources allows for more efficient utilization of transportation capacity, reducing empty runs and maximizing the use of existing resources. By connecting shippers and carriers in a collaborative network, Saloodo! facilitates the sharing of logistics capacity, enables CO2 savings through fewer shipments with higher utilization, and thus promotes efficiency and sustainability in the industry.