The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Courier Delivery Innovation: InPost Company Case Study

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many markets, including the courier market. This market still has great potential. Thanks to the introduced innovations and due to the growing demand for courier services and the development of e-commerce, it is currently one of the most dynamically developing industries. In the face of the pandemic, courier companies had to adapt to the new operating conditions. The implementation of innovations (i.e. parcel lockers) has become one of the key development trends in the contemporary mechanisms of for creating the competitiveness of enterprises. Parcel lockers introduced by InPost in Poland in 2009 now operate in other countries, there are over 23,000 of them in Europe. They are also located in Asia, both Americas, as well as in the Middle East and Africa. The aim of the article is to show the reaction of courier companies to the COVID-19 pandemic through the example of InPost. The article also demonstrates that difficult pandemic conditions cause adjustment processes on the courier market related to the implementation of innovations by courier companies. Various innovative solutions introduced by InPost during the pandemic were analysed. The main features of InPost courier services that distinguish the company's activity compared to its competitors have been identified. It was shown that the company reacted innovatively to the difficult pandemic conditions, and its actions were positively assessed by consumers. To support this view, in the empirical part of the article, we will look at the research conducted in 2021 in Poland. The survey was conducted among young consumers (students of Lublin University of Technology aged 19-26).