LOCALKOOL Digitises the UK High-Street: Supporting Local Retailers and the Environment

新冠肺炎极大地促进了电子商务和送货上门，为拥有先进数字能力的大型零售商和小型零售商带来了增长。然而，商业街上的企业和当地的小型零售商遭受了巨大损失，而且仍在遭受巨大损失。鉴于这种行为转变将在找到新冠肺炎疫苗后部分延续，因此中小企业零售商的前景黯淡。大规模的送货上门伴随着巨大的碳足迹，特别是在城市，因为最后一英里的送货车辆不仅排放对气候有害的气体，而且对人类健康有害。根据多项研究，空气污染是有利于新冠肺炎传播的一个因素。我们开发了一个SaaS平台，使零售商能够访问整合的超低排放(ULE)最后一英里物流服务供应。该平台自动将物流提供商与包裹递送作业相匹配，以优化每个地理区域、包裹类型、距离和递送作业偏好的速度和成本。利益相关者可以通过API、Web和移动界面访问该平台。期待送货的消费者可以通过互动地图实时跟踪司机的地理位置。

COVID-19 considerably boosted e-commerce and home deliveries of goods, bringing growth for large retailers and smaller retailers with advanced digital capabilities. High-street businesses and small local retailers however suffered and are still suffering huge losses. Given that this behavioural shift will partially carry on after a COVID-19 vaccine is found, the outlook for SME retailers is bleak. Mass-scale home deliveries come with a significant carbon footprint, particularly in cities due to last mile delivery vehicles emitting not only gases harmful to the climate, but also to human health. According to several studies, air pollution is a factor that favours the spread of COVID-19\. We develop a SaaS platform to enable retailers to access a consolidated Ultra Low Emissions (ULE) last-mile logistics services supply. The platform automatically matches logistics providers with parcel delivery jobs to optimize speed and cost per geographical region, parcel type, distance and delivery job preferences. Stakeholders can access the platform through API, web and mobile interface. Consumers expecting a delivery can track its drivers' geolocation in real-time through an interactive map.