The Rise of e-Commerce Platforms in the Parcel Delivery Markets

In recent years, the growth of e-commerce has fundamentally changed parcel markets. While most economic sectors in the global economy have suffered a severe downturn caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic has boosted the growth of e-commerce. This chapter concentrates on the relationship between the evolution of e-commerce and the restructuring of the parcel delivery markets in Europe. It tells the story of the open competition between three kinds of main actors: leading e-commerce companies, delivery operators and traditional postal incumbents. It discuss these issues presenting four case studies, two relating to countries experiencing the entry of global e-commerce platforms (Italy and the United Kingdom) and two where national operators are still leading in the e-commerce market (the Netherlands and Poland).