South African on-demand delivery startup WumDrop has launched Deliver 2 Me, a delivery solution that delivers to the real-time location of a user’s mobile phone.
WumDrop, which is available in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, and Durban, allows users to request the pickup and dropoff of packages via their phones.
With the new Deliver 2 Me service, users can choose the hour they would like their order delivered, at their exact location, regardless of whether or not that location has a street address.
The service is available to retailers via integration with WumDrop’s API, with the startup saying it represents a significant leap forward in business-to-customer delivery, particularly across Africa, where address data can be highly unreliable.
“What makes this technology remarkable is its scalability. Deliver 2 Me isn’t locked into a native mobile app like most geolocation services – it leverages the increasingly powerful suite of features found in mobile browsers to deliver an accurate delivery location to the driver, and a clean, easy to use interface to the end user,” said Wilson Canda, WumDrop chief technology officer (CTO).
To use the service when placing an order, users choose the Deliver 2 Me option. When the parcel is ready for delivery, they will receive an SMS with a link to the Deliver 2 Me mobile web app.
They can then choose either “deliver now” or “deliver later”, with the “deliver now” option allowing them to drop a pin or type in a specific location. “Deliver later” will allow them to choose another time or day when they would prefer to receive the SMS.
For the launch of the product, Deliver 2 Me is available exclusively through the TFG eMall.
“We’re honoured to be partnering with TFG for the launch of Deliver 2 Me. It’s incredibly encouraging to see one of South Africa’s most established businesses willing to put their trust in the technology of a young local startup,” said WumDrop founder Simon Hartley.
