The dust may have settled on another festive season, but courier franchise Aramex (formerly Fastway Couriers) has reason to keep the celebrations going.

The parcel-delivery service has just reported its biggest Christmas period ever, thanks to the nation’s heavy reliance on online shopping. The number of parcels delivered over the break was up more than 450,000 on last year’s result, with Sydney, Melbourne, Port Macquarie, Surry Hills and Toowoomba recording the biggest numbers.

Peter Lipinski, Aramex Australia CEO said the courier franchise was now gearing up for a second wave, with the post-Christmas rush of returns likely to swell demand.

“It’s no secret that Australians love online shopping and this is driving exceptional growth and demand in the transport sector. This Christmas was a record year for us at Aramex with almost half a million more parcels delivered in December than what was delivered in December 2018,” Lipinski said.

“Christmas may have passed but for couriers and many businesses across Australia, we’re sure the delivery demand will continue this month with a surge in returns of online shopping purchases.”

What’s more, the courier franchise also hit another major milestone, revealing that over two million more parcels were delivered in 2019 compared to the previous year, a network record.

Growth in the courier franchise sector

The latest announcement follows a developing pattern for the courier franchise industry. The rise of online shopping has bolstered demand for last-mile delivery solutions, which Lipinski said has been a major boost for Aramex’s franchisees.

“E-commerce has completely changed how we shop, and it’s transformed Australia’s peak retail and delivery season,” Lipinski said.

“We know that convenience is king, and we’ve laid strong foundations and have been investing in resources to help our customers and Australian businesses capitalise on the growth of e-commerce this year. We’re currently in the pilot stage of a new click and collect service with some of our partners and are exploring different ways we can provide our customers with even more convenience.”

Another major update franchisees will see this year is the completion of a full network rebrand. Aramex acquired franchise icon Fastway Couriers in 2016, however some franchisees are yet to transition over to the new brand. Lipinski revealed that process is set to be completed later this year.

“We’re very pleased to be celebrating the completion of our rebrand across Australia, which unlocks some powerful advantages for our business, our franchisees and customers,” he said.

Dubai-founded Aramex has a presence in over 65 countries, transporting nearly 70 million parcels globally each year.