LogTech News 05/2025

Dear Reader

At MotionTools and in the logistics world, a lot has happened this month. We have compiled the most interesting topics for you in this May edition of our LogTech News.

We look forward to feedback or references to articles and topics that should not be missed in our next issue. Just write us an email at news@motiontools.com

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In this issue (6 min reading time)

📢 Industry news

Flink reduces prices and expands range of products
EU proposes two-euro fee for third-country packages
Amazon UK expands offering with quick-delivery service Gopuff

✅ Best practices

Digitalization in Logistics: From obligation to competitive edge

🤝 Community updates

We’re seeking 3PLs able to handle 10k daily eCom deliveries

🦾 Release notes

May 2024

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📢 Industry news

Flink reduces prices and expands range of products

The grocery delivery service Flink is adjusting its strategy: Prices will be more closely aligned with brick-and-mortar retail, particularly Rewe, to become more attractive to customers. To compensate for the resulting lower margins, Flink is focusing on two key adjustments: First, the product range will be expanded from 3,000 to around 5,000 items to increase the average basket value. Second, there will be a stronger emphasis on retail media. Through targeted advertising placements within their own platform, brands will be able to increase their products' visibility, generating additional revenue for Flink. Revenue, which stood at approximately 550 million euros in 2024, is planned to achieve double-digit percentage growth in 2025.

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EU proposes two-euro fee for third-country packages

The EU Commission is considering a flat fee of up to two euros on low-value shipments from third countries. This is intended to cover the sharply increased costs of customs processing and market surveillance. The daily parcel volume has now reached around twelve million, with the majority coming from non-European online orders. The goal is to create fair competitive conditions and better monitor compliance with EU requirements.

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Amazon UK expands offering with quick-delivery service Gopuff

Amazon is expanding its product range in the UK through a partnership with quick-delivery service Gopuff. Customers in Birmingham and Salford can order thousands of products around the clock with delivery in under 60 minutes, sometimes even in 15 minutes. Deliveries are fulfilled through Gopuff's micro-hubs. Prime members benefit from free delivery on orders over £20. Gopuff thus joins providers like Morrisons and Co-op on Amazon.co.uk.

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✅ Best practices

Digitalization in Logistics: From Obligation to Opportunity

In our last newsletter, we highlighted four challenges for logistics in 2025: decarbonization, digitalization, demographic change, and de-risking. If you missed that issue, you can check it out here. Starting today and in upcoming issues, we'll regularly talk about digital tools along the logistics value chain – not strictly following a linear process, but oriented towards current market challenges that our customers and partners bring to us and that we want to share with you, the community.

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💡 Invoice Processing

The era of paper and PDF is over: E-invoicing is becoming mandatory, and those who adopt integrated solutions early not only save effort but also ensure compliance. Modern accounting software like Lexoffice, Easybill, or FreshBooks can be directly integrated into logistics platforms like MotionTools, ensuring a seamless and automated flow from customer order to billing.

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🧑‍💼 Digital Personnel Files & Recruiting

The digital transition also pays off in HR, particularly when it comes to route planning and delivery reliability during unplanned absences. You can efficiently manage logistics personnel digitally with tools like Timecount (ideal for warehouse and logistics teams working in shifts), hr works (ideal for field service and driving personnel), Sage HR Suite (ideal for rapidly growing companies), or Personio (combines HR, payroll and recruiting).

In recruitment, being visible online where great talent spends time is key. If you don't know where to start, companies like SimpleJobs can help make your recruiting more efficient and targeted. From job postings on relevant channels to telephone candidate pre-qualification and targeted employer branding – everything under one roof and completely digital.

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📦 Transport Status & Freight Documents

Customers want to know where their delivery is – in real-time. Live tracking, ETAs, and digital shipping documents (eCMR) are now indispensable: They accelerate processes, replace manual work, and help increase delivery rates while avoiding errors from "pen & paper" or misunderstandings. MotionTools offers numerous functions for this – from live tracking and ETAs to status updates and WhatsApp notifications, to digital freight documents that can be signed directly in the driver app and sent to customers.

No more processing PDFs or sending shaky photos of crumpled delivery notes from the passenger seat.

💬 Internal Communications

Drivers are the backbone of logistics - making direct and digital communication with them all the more important, especially for short-notice route changes. MotionTools customers and their drivers e.g. benefit from automated push notifications during their tours.

For direct driver <> dispatcher communication, we often see "For Business" versions of tools like WhatsApp or Telegram in use. While initially effective, this isn't efficient in the long run. The lack of direct tour or shipment references, limited traceability, and sometimes problematic data protection conditions make these apps a temporary solution.

To address this, we at MotionTools are working on an Intercom integration that will soon enable direct communication between drivers and dispatchers through the driver app - efficient, traceable, and secure.

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🗺️ Route Planning

Integrating last-minute same-day deliveries or ad-hoc orders into already planned routes is a daily challenge for many logistics providers - especially when drivers are already on the road and their current location is unclear. Route planning with pen and paper or Excel, with follow-up calls by phone, quickly becomes an inefficient struggle.

MotionTools enables our customers to plan routes dynamically with full transparency and maximum efficiency. New orders can be economically integrated into ongoing tours, customers receive live status updates, drivers are informed about new stops, and the route adjusts in real-time - even fully automated.

This significantly reduces empty runs, driving times, and costs.

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🤝 Community updates

Looking for ambitious logistics operators that want to level up their game!

At MotionTools, we’re helping leading e-commerce marketplaces, major brands and international shippers expand into new regions by finding excellent logistics partners and enabling them with technology. That’s why we’re currently looking for reliable transportation operators (middle & last mile) as well as warehouse/fulfillment providers in the following European countries:

🇮🇹 Italy & Sicily, 🇬🇷 Greece, 🇭🇷 Croatia, 🇦🇹 Austria, 🇵🇱 Poland, and the 🇳🇱 Netherlands.

3PLs can expect a few thousand daily packages/deliveries, meaning serious volume and revenue potential! We provide a fully integrated platform & dispatch solution, dashboard and driver apps and ready-to-go integrations with players like Temu.

Let’s connect if that sounds interesting for you! Introductions & recommendations are also welcome if you know someone in those regions. If you’d like to talk in person: Our Co-Founder Marian will be at the transport logistics in Munich on 2nd of June.

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🦾 Release notes

Feature highlight: Collecting POD without a tour

We're introducing the ability to collect Proof of Delivery (POD) for packages delivered without a tour, specifically during force-delivery or collection flows. POD requirements can be configured independently from services in the new “Off-tour delivery settings” Dashboard section. This feature is gradually rolling out and will be available within the next few weeks.