Finding the right place to base your business can be a tricky balancing act. Some want high street locations with maximum footfall to keep their brand front and centre in customers’ minds, while others might want to look further out for larger spaces to expand their operations.

In more recent years, however, a new priority has emerged. As more and more consumers shop online, demand for ‘last mile’ properties has grown. These units, located within or adjacent to major cities and urban centres, are ideally situated for storing, loading, tracking, and delivering goods to customers. This has quickly made last mile warehouses and other storage areas key to the growing e-commerce fulfilment industry.

So, what makes last mile properties so well-suited to modern logistics? In this article, we look at how you can stay competitive with the last mile.

Why the last mile matters for urban freight distribution

The number of e-commerce deliveries in the UK is only going up, making the last one mile more important than ever. As the final step in the process that ultimately gets a product to a customer’s door, it’s crucial to meet the high standards of reliability and speed that consumers expect.

Having a fulfilment warehouse within this last mile zone gives businesses all sorts of benefits – both operationally and financially. Perhaps most importantly, it puts them within easy reach of large urban areas that are packed with people. Being closer to customers means faster shipping times and reduced delivery costs. 

As well as traditional couriers, some businesses have adopted ‘microbility’ with bikes for same-day deliveries, while others opt for white-glove delivery for premier clients. All of this has created a hyper-local delivery craze that’s refusing to die down.

The benefits don’t stop there. Last mile locations also make it easier for businesses to utilise electric vehicles. These deliveries do not require long journeys, and urban areas are more likely to feature electric vehicle charging stations. This not only reduces costs even further but also helps businesses run more sustainably.

Last mile vs city centre properties

Of course, many of the benefits we’ve discussed above also apply to central locations in towns and cities. But there are still plenty of key reasons why a last mile property is often a better choice for final-mile logistics:

• Cost – A central, urban location is naturally going to come with a significantly higher rent, which means more of a business’s budget is wrapped up in paying for space. Last mile properties offer similar benefits while keeping funds free for hiring staff, buying new stock, or investing in growth.
• Logistics – City centres can also come with operational challenges. It’s rare to find a space with enough parking for employees, and any commercial square footage is usually going to be much smaller than what you might be able to get a little further out.
• Customer access – Last but not least, a location in the heart of a single urban location might limit your business to only serving that particular area. In comparison, a last mile fulfilment warehouse located between several different regions gives you more accessibility for both customers and national transport networks.

Finding the right last mile location

If a last mile location ticks all the right boxes for your business, then there are a few questions to ask before committing:

• Connections – What sort of transport links will you need? You may also require parking for team members and easy access for delivery vehicles. You may also need reliable access to ports, freight stations, or even airports if you’ll be importing or exporting outside of your local region.
• Space – Think about the amount of space you’ll need. Do you want something that works for your business as it is right now, or is it better to find a slightly larger unit that gives you room to grow? A last leg property may also require more space during certain seasons.
• Amenities – What amenities and facilities will you need at your last mile location? This could include electric vehicle chargers, dedicated office spaces, on-site security, nearby shops, or even specific power requirements for specialist equipment. Keep these needs in mind to make sure your space works for your operations.

No matter what your perfect last mile space looks like, Mileway’s commercial specialists are here to help. We offer last mile properties across the UK, providing opportunities to take advantage of the e-commerce boom.

Contact Mileway today to speak to one of our experts.