Toshi, the last mile delivery business service

I was recently discussing with a client how our near future will be marked by the ability to move goods, to reach consumers, since they themselves are unlikely to be going anywhere at the moment. In that particular conversation, we were comparing the merits of global shipping companies, but the importance of logistics stayed with me. Then this article on Toshi came up! Great timing since the check out process has been on my mind (see Klarna below).

Launched three years ago by Sojin Lee, Toshi brings the in-store experience to your location on demand, aka a sexy logistics solution as described by Lee herself. We have known each other since her Net-a-porter days and I got the chance to work alongside her with Toshi a couple of years ago when we came up with a collaboration between Toshi x Tooshie (pun non intended) for a high summer drop of beachwear essentials.

In order to service the ‘last mile to last meter’, brands are adopting ‘micro–warehousing’ to ensure the products are close to the customers. “The first step [of TOSHI] was to go to all the brands and say ‘your stores are your warehouses’,” Lee explains to Business Cloud. “You need to activate them into that kind of behaviour to become a part of on–demand service economy… and generate a ROI on the rent that you pay, which is astronomic."

For me, who for years managed and supervised retail stores in most sought after retail shopping areas of London, this makes perfect sense. But that's not the only reason I like this business proposition: I am the target consumer. Maybe because I worked in retail for so long, the last thing I want to do is go shopping. However, when I know what I want, I also want delivered ASAP.

This would be so perfect for me! With 30 minutes delivery slots, the Toshi associate waits and return, if necessary, can bring extra sizes and offer styling advice, including pinning-fitting for alterations if the Toshi Perfect Fit option was chosen at checkout. Sadly for me, this is valid only in Central London (zones 1 - 4) and in both Manhattan and Brooklyn stateside.

@Sojin, Geneva, soon?