Shift Launches New Enterprise Marketplace and Narrows Focus

Shift, the UK-based logistics platform that bought Tuffnells out of administration, has launched a new platform service designed for enterprise companies and logistics carriers, giving access to its marketplace of thousands of drivers.

Using Shift’s proprietary technology, this new service improves earnings for drivers while significantly reducing costs for enterprise businesses with final-leg delivery requirements.

Building on the success with enterprise clients such as IKEA, this move heralds a new client focus for the Group delivering value to large-scale parcel delivery networks and leading retailers. To enable it to focus on this opportunity, Shift will move away from consumer offering and divest its non-core businesses. Shift’s new enterprise focussed service addresses the significant cost challenges of last-mile delivery, offering a dynamic marketplace where carriers can post delivery work for on-demand fulfilment. By integrating with Shift, carriers can achieve substantial cost savings through optimised routing and flexible pricing models.

Commenting on the move, Jacob Corlett, Founder of Shift, stated: “I started this company wanting to use our technology in the consumer market, and it’s been incredibly rewarding to help hundreds of thousands of customers. While stepping away from offering services directly to consumers has been a tough decision, as we’ve grown, it’s clear our true strength — and the real growth opportunity — is in the enterprise space.

“With thousands of drivers in our network, we’re better positioned to serve large carriers and retailers, saving them tens of millions in last-mile costs. This move allows us to focus on supporting businesses where we can make the most impact and more rapidly scale by disrupting a legacy logistics landscape.”

The Group has made substantial progress in recent years, transforming the logistics landscape. Shift has successfully increased its large format locker network to 23 sites across the UK, with plans to expand further later this year. Additionally, with the acquisition of Tuffnells, a 100-year-old, well-known parcel delivery network, being transformed from an asset-heavy network carrier into a carrier marketplace that leverages Shift’s proprietary platform to provide access to multiple network carriers. These developments underscore the Group’s commitment to innovation and efficiency within the logistics sector.

The Group’s investors, including UK technology investor Fuel Ventures, continue to support the direction of the business and have been buoyed by recent progress. Shift successfully raised £5.4m in funding during the first half of this year, reflecting strong investor confidence in its enterprise-focused strategy.

Mark Pearson, CEO at Fuel Ventures, commented: “While we originally invested in Shift as a direct-to-consumer business, our primary interest has always been on technology-driven companies that are making a meaningful impact in their industries. Shift’s decision to target the enterprise space aligns perfectly with that vision. The ability to save significant costs for their clients while enhancing efficiency and sustainability is exactly the kind of innovation we support. With their recent fundraising, we’re confident that Shift is well-positioned to drive even greater success in this next phase of growth.”