CouriersPlease CEO Richard Thame has outlined his predictions for the Australian logistics landscape in 2025, pointing to a surge in e-commerce side hustles and a broader shift toward digital-first delivery as the two forces most likely to reshape how parcels move across the country. With living costs continuing to climb and consumer expectations evolving rapidly, Thame sees significant opportunity and challenge ahead for carriers, retailers, and fulfilment operators alike.
Side Hustle Economy
Australia’s living cost index rose 4.7% in the year to September 2024, and that persistent pressure on household budgets is driving more Australians toward supplementary income streams. According to Thame, 38% of Australians are now considering starting a side hustle alongside their existing job within the next five years, with 68% motivated primarily by the potential to earn extra income.
CouriersPlease, which operates a network of more than 1,200 franchise and delivery partners across nearly 850 active territories, has already observed a significant uptick in side-hustle entrepreneurs and small businesses utilising its delivery services. Many of these micro-businesses operate through online marketplaces, social commerce platforms, and direct-to-consumer storefronts, all of which depend heavily on affordable and reliable last-mile delivery.
For carriers and third-party logistics providers, the trend represents a growing segment of high-frequency, low-volume shippers who need simple onboarding, transparent pricing, and dependable service levels. As reported by Trailer Magazine, the side hustle economy is creating new demand patterns that differ substantially from traditional retail fulfilment, requiring carriers to adapt their offerings accordingly.
Digital-First Delivery
Thame’s second major prediction centres on the accelerating shift toward digital-first delivery experiences. Today’s consumers expect real-time tracking, proactive status updates, and day-specific delivery windows that align with hybrid work schedules. The days of vague delivery estimates and missed-delivery cards are rapidly receding.
For logistics operators, meeting these expectations requires investment in customer-facing technology, from SMS and app-based notifications through to configurable delivery preferences that let recipients redirect parcels or nominate safe-drop locations. CouriersPlease sees this digital layer as a competitive differentiator, particularly in the residential last-mile segment where customer experience directly influences repeat purchase behaviour for the retailers being served.
The rise of hybrid and remote working patterns has added further complexity. With many Australians splitting their week between home and office, delivery networks need to accommodate shifting availability windows rather than relying on a single static address. Carriers that offer flexible, digitally managed delivery options are better positioned to reduce failed delivery attempts and the associated cost of redelivery.
Sustainability and Resale Commerce
Beyond side hustles and digital delivery, Thame highlighted two additional trends gaining momentum heading into 2025. The first is the continued rise of resale commerce, as consumers increasingly opt for second-hand goods amid growing scrutiny of fast-fashion consumption and its environmental footprint. This shift generates its own logistics demands, including reverse logistics flows and authentication processes that add complexity to the supply chain.
The second is a deepening commitment to green logistics across both retailers and delivery services. Sustainability is moving from a marketing talking point to an operational priority, with businesses investing in route optimisation, fleet electrification, and packaging reduction to meet both regulatory expectations and customer demand for lower-impact supply chains.
Industry Implications
CouriersPlease’s outlook reflects broader structural changes in the Australian delivery market. The convergence of cost-of-living pressures, digital consumer expectations, and sustainability mandates is creating an environment where carriers must be more agile, more transparent, and more technology-enabled than ever before. For warehousing and fulfilment operators supporting these carriers, the same pressures apply: systems need to accommodate smaller, more frequent orders from a wider base of shippers while maintaining the speed and accuracy that end consumers now take for granted.