Yamato delivery price hike, time restrictions could harm consumer convenience

Parcel delivery giant Yamato Holdings Co.'s plan to raise prices and rein in package volumes -- moves meant to cope with staff shortages and a swelling delivery load tied to internet shopping -- could negatively impact consumer convenience.

The price to ship a personal package is set to rise by 140 to 180 yen, depending on the parcel size. However, business customers make up some 90 percent of Yamato's delivery volume, and the firm will negotiate with internet shopping giant Amazon and other companies on the price hike for corporate shippers. If a price rise does go into effect, internet shoppers are likely to see their shipping charges go up as well.

Yamato has already moved up the deadline to request same-day redelivery by an hour to 7 p.m. in cases when a recipient is out when a first delivery attempt is made. Many recipients request redelivery after they return from work, meaning getting a package on the original delivery day will be difficult for people who can't get home before 7 p.m.

Also, to make it easier for its drivers to take a proper lunch break, Yamato will halt deliveries for noon to 2 p.m., effective June 19. Meanwhile, the highly popular 8 to 9 p.m. delivery time slot will be broadened to 7 to 9 p.m. to give drivers more leeway. These measures are also likely to inconvenience customers waiting for packages.

However, Yamato announced it plans to install some 3,000 delivery pickup lockers in major commuter hub railway stations and other locations primarily in the Tokyo area by March 2018. The firm will also institute special offers for recipients who come to pick up their delivery at a Yamato distribution center. In sum, the company is faced with the task of preserving customer convenience as much as possible while at the same time improving conditions for its workers.