Having racked up over 10,000 deliveries and 30,000 members in its Scandinavian motherland since its 2013 launch, Norwegian social delivery service Nimber is set to plug a sustainability gap in the UK delivery sector, making use of unused capacity by using real people who are going somewhere anyway to make deliveries.
The company estimates that to date its service has helped cut carbon emissions by 198.24 tonnes through the use of existing capacity to bring and send items to individuals and businesses.
Much as the sharing economy has boosted other UK sectors, with companies such as Airbnb and JustPark revolutionizing the way people apportion and consume existing capacity, Nimber offers an opportunity to circumnavigate businesses that currently monopolize the UK delivery sector, while offering tangible environmental benefits for an industry that is often overlooked when it comes to measuring sustainability.
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San DiegoUtilizing a community of ‘senders’ and ‘bringers,’ with its unique matching algorithms Nimber enables its members to reduce their carbon footprint whilst taking advantage of a service that allows any item – no matter how big, bulky or unusual – to be delivered in a swift, reliable and friendly manner. ‘Senders’ enlist another member, going their way anyway, to deliver the desired item as part of a commute or regular journey. This system enables Nimber to make use of existing car and van capacity (and potentially other vehicles as well, including lorries, trains and even London’s Tube system).
The sender pays a small fee – which they set with the support of Nimber’s pricing algorithms that help to suggest a fair price depending on size, distance and speed - directly to the bringer. This makes the cost of using the service unique to each delivery and typically cheaper when compared to other options, such as the Royal Mail or courier services. In Norway, it has been reported that Nimber bringers have made up to as much as £50,000 per annum through the service., comments on the launch:
“We’re delighted to be bringing Nimber to the UK. The success we have had in Norway demonstrates that peer-to-peer delivery can greatly boost the sustainability of the sector, adding a personal touch along the way. We can’t wait to see Brits embrace our service,” said Nimber CEO Ari Kestin. “Our community is set to transport everything from sofas and surfboards to forgotten keys and luggage, enabling carbon footprint reductions, financial savings and the opportunity to meet new people along the way.”
It is free for both senders and bringers to join the service and Nimber insures all deliveries up to £500.
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Published Apr 28, 2015 4pm EDT / 1pm PDT / 9pm BST / 10pm CEST