Driver Shortages Increase Risk of Black Friday Delays
As the Black Friday shopping season kicks off, Australians are at risk of delivery delays as new research has revealed over 4,500 open postal network and delivery driver vacancies.
The ‘Delivery Delays’ Report, by retail communications specialist Esendex, analysed data from Job Board Indeed to calculate the vacancy rate for the most common delivery job titles, and pinpoint the regions and cities most at risk of delivery delays this golden quarter.
The report found 3,000 open vacancies for ‘delivery driver’ roles and 900 job openings for ‘picker packer’, leaving Australian businesses at risk of staffing shortages ahead of Black Friday.
Last year, online purchases made during Black Friday in Australia increased by 88% compared to 2019, while e-commerce sales are projected to exceed $46 billion by the end of 2024.
However, the National Road Transport Association (NatRoad) has already flagged a critical driver shortage of 14.4% across the trucking sector, from owner-operators to large fleet managers, which is far higher than the national job vacancy rate of 5-6%.
This comes as 67% of shoppers would reportedly switch retailers for faster shipping, while 63% value being able to track parcels – leaving businesses at severe risk of customer dissatisfaction should any delays to parcel deliveries occur.
The Northern Territory faces the highest risk of delivery delays, with 34.8 job shortages per 100,000 residents – more than double the national average of 16.9.
Western Australia had a far lower rate of 16.3 per 100,000 people, despite one of the highest number of total vacancies, with 100 delivery drivers shortages alone.
In comparison, Queensland, one of the most populous states and the third-largest economy among Australian states, had a comparatively lower rate of 13.8 per 100,000 residents, despite over 750 delivery job vacancies.
The Australian Capital Territory, the most densely populated state, had the lowest vacancy rate, with just 10.7 job openings per 100,000 residents.
The second and third most densely populated states, New South Wales and Victoria, did not place in the top five regions at most risk, underscoring the potential delivery challenges for residents living in more remote or sparsely populated areas, which do not host the main logistics hubs.
The report also found over 300 vacancies for ‘Christmas Driver’ in the delivery network, indicating potential challenges for Australian businesses looking to meet tight delivery deadlines in the upcoming festive period.
Top 5 regions most at risk of delivery delays, per capita (100,000)
Jonathan Walsh, General Manager at Esendex Australia, commented on the findings:
“As we see interest and demand around Black Friday shopping ramp up, even a moderate number of vacancies in delivery jobs is something that businesses need to be aware of. Our data reveals that certain territories within Australia could be at risk of significant delivery disruptions this golden quarter.
“While densely populated states and territories such as Victoria and the ACT have a relatively lower risk of experiencing delays compared to more remote regions like the Northern Territory, external pressures on the supply chain can quickly lead to this becoming a significant issue during the peak shopping season. We’re also seeing a high uptick in the number of temporary ‘Christmas driver’ roles already open, with potentially more to follow.
“For businesses to navigate this period effectively, they need to stay a step ahead of regional delivery demands, especially as customers increasingly expect fast, often next-day delivery. A proactive strategy, including automated delivery updates and alerts using SMS and WhatsApp for Business, can be a game-changer in customer communication. By keeping customers informed, businesses also reduce pressure on customer service channels and prioritise the customer experience during busy shopping periods.”
To view the research in full, please visit: https://www.esendex.com.au/blog/post/delivery-delays-report
ENDS
Methodology
Esendex collected and analysed job vacancy data from Indeed across 15 locations in Australia and Ireland and 40 regions in the UK. Using keywords for common delivery roles and seasonal positions, Esendex analysed over 82,000 job listings across the United Kingdom (UK), Ireland, and Australia, and then calculated the vacancy rate against the total population data, sourced from City Population, to estimate the per capita demand for delivery roles.
This enabled Esendex to identify the regions where customers may experience greater risks of delays through the peak shopping season.
All data is correct as of October 2024.
