UPU News : Posts rise to e-commerce challenge in Latin America and Caribbean

18.03.2016 - The potential for reaping socio-economic benefits nationally through e-commerce, where the Post has an important role to play, was highlighted by Adriel Brathwaite, Barbados' minister of home affairs, at a UPU training event.

The reality is that e-commerce provides a valuable avenue for the growth of businesses and enables them to be viable in the world economy,” said Brathwaite, speaking  at the workshop attended by postal representatives from the Latin American and Caribbean regions. 

And Posts have an important role to play to ensure that purchases reach end customers on time. 

“There is an urgent need for the world’s Posts to collectively solve the cross-border issues that delay parcel delivery,” Brathwaite underlined. 

E-commerce boom

During the three-day gathering in Bridgetown this week, participants and speakers from some 25 Caribbean and 15 Latin American countries and the UPU discussed the challenges and opportunities for Posts in e-commerce. 

UPU Director General Bishar A. Hussein noted that Posts can contribute to national economic growth and social inclusion through facilitating e-commerce for micro, small and medium enterprises in a message delivered on his behalf.

“The e-commerce boom is generating more business for Posts as they deliver purchases made online, especially for the business-to-consumer market,” said Hussein. He stressed the importance of the postal network as a national infrastructure that provides affordable, universal services. 

 “The postal network is well-positioned to serve this market transformation and to deliver e-commerce merchandise globally,” said Hussein.

Furthermore, concerted efforts by the UPU in integrating the international supply chain, with partners including customs authorities and airlines, will help “ensure that the opportunities created by e-commerce are captured”.

Dedicated training

The Bridgetown workshops focused on a variety of topics, such as customer care, trade facilitation and financial solutions. 

Innovative products developed by the UPU were also discussed, with examples including .POST, the sponsored top-level domain for the postal sector. Other examples included ECOMPRO, which is the UPU's e-commerce programme, and the Customs Declaration System, which provides pre-advice to Customs.

The event, which took place from March 15-17, was organized as part of joint efforts by the UPU, the Caribbean Postal Union and the Postal Union of the Americas, Spain and Portugal.