DHL Express uncovers next wave of E-commerce growth

• Whitepaper predicts online B2B sales to increase by more than 70% to $ 20.9 trillion by 2027
• COVID-19 pandemic significantly drives digital transformation

DHL Express, the world’s leading international express service provider, released a new Whitepaper titled ‘The Ultimate B2B E-commerce Guide: Tradition is out. Digital is in’ recently.  

The study predicts strong growth for the B2B E-commerce market in the coming years – by 2025, 80% of all B2B sales between suppliers and professional buyers will take place in digital channels. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pace of digitalisation and the purchasing behaviour of technology-savvy millennials are the main drivers of this global E-commerce growth. 

“Even in times of worldwide shutdowns, globalisation has shown its resilience, fuelled by digitalisation and the power of global trade,” says DHL Express CEO John Pearson. “These trends have led to an ever-growing number of consumers shifting their shopping activities online. The pandemic has accelerated this development like never before, with a sharp rise in businesses selling goods in the global marketplace. E-commerce and global logistics have provided the key to unlock local shutdowns, keep economies running and mitigating the impact of COVID-19 for many of our customers.”

The Whitepaper, compiled by DHL Express, uncovers factors driving the growth of the global B2B E-commerce market where a new technology-oriented generation of millennials is starting to make its mark. Millennials, who are also digital natives account for 73% of B2B purchasing decisions, thereby pushing companies to invest in digital solutions, such as selling platforms.

 “Specifically in Asia Pacific excluding China, we have witnessed a 17.3% year-on-year rise in shipment volume during the peak months of November and December 2020 driven by more active shippers and a 21% higher spend per customer,” DHL Express Asia Pacific CEO Ken Lee said. “This surge in volume further underscores the growth in online shopping and demand for cross-border shipping, making it critical that logistics providers remain agile to continuously adapt and respond to consumer needs.”

In 2020, DHL Express delivered 484 million shipments for its B2C and B2B customers worldwide, around 9% more per day compared to 2019. To adapt to this significant growth, DHL Express continues to invest annually more than € 1 billion in new state-of-the-art facilities around the world.

With its worldwide network and breadth of industries served, DHL Express was able to accommodate fast-changing trade flows. Furthermore, its presence in more than 220 countries and territories have helped consumers and businesses to stay connected especially during the COVID-19 pandemic – enabling them to trade around the world.

These measures by DHL Express ensure that its worldwide customers can benefit from the global E-commerce boom. 

Commenting on the local situation, DHL Express Sri Lanka Country Manager Dimithri Perera said: “While the pandemic has affected the whole country, we have also witnessed a sudden increase in E-commerce adoption with a large number of users seeking E-commerce platforms and contactless delivery. As the report notes, an increase in the E-commerce base by 245% in Sri Lanka indicates the local E-commerce eco-system is set to encounter a significant change post-COVID-19. Additionally, the prominent role that logistics services have played during the pandemic has highlighted their value to consumers and we expect this growth to continue.”