Following the news that Wing, the drone delivery subsidiary of Google's parent company Alphabet, has launched the world’s first commercial air delivery service of selected goods such as coffee, ice cream and medication to eligible suburbs in Australia’s capital city of Canberra,

Katrina Diamonon, Consumer Analyst at GlobalData, offers her view on the pivotal implications for the future of retail globally.

She said, “Direct-to-consumer drone delivery is already on the verge of being implemented by e-commerce giants Amazon and China-based JD.com while Domino’s Pizza has already rolled out test flights of pizza delivery with a view to making it a viable option for order fulfilment.

“The seemingly futuristic delivery concept offers a number of benefits for both retailers and shoppers. Bypassing ground transportation allows for greater route flexibility which can facilitate faster delivery for time-sensitive orders, or more efficient delivery to rural or inaccessible areas. Similarly, delivery addresses can become less rigid, allowing for literal ‘anywhere, anytime’ shopping.

“Still, consumers are currently divided on the issue. According to GlobalData’s 2018 Q4 global consumer survey, just under half – 47% – of global consumers consider it appealing to have online orders delivered by automated devices such as drones or driverless cars. Significantly, one-third considers the concept to be explicitly unappealing.'

Diamonon concluded, “Direct-to-consumer drone delivery is already on the verge of being implemented by e-commerce giants Amazon and China-based JD.com while Domino’s Pizza has already rolled out test flights of pizza delivery with a view to making it a viable option for order fulfilment. As retailers find more ways to make shopping more efficient, enjoyable and affordable, consumers must increasingly consider the price they pay in privacy.”

(source: GlobalData)