According to Alan Coughlan, a logistics entrepreneur originally from Cork and now based in Dubai, the forthcoming launch of a dedicated Irish website by e-commerce giant Amazon will necessitate a significant overhaul of Ireland’s logistics and online retail sectors.
Coughlan, the founder and CEO of Lansil Global, is actively constructing warehouses in the US to expedite delivery times for his clients, enabling them to compete effectively with Amazon.
With a business valued at €40 million, Lansil Global supplies e-commerce websites with a diverse range of Chinese products, spanning from home and garden furniture to cosmetics, toys, and apparel, serving European and American online retailers operating on platforms like Facebook, Amazon, and Shopify.
Expanding operations extensively in China, Lansil Global achieved €40 million in annual revenue this year, with aspirations to reach €100 million in the near future.
Coughlan plans to expand the warehouse network across the US and eventually into Europe, considering the Netherlands as a probable location.
A crucial objective behind the warehouse expansion is to align delivery speeds as closely as possible with Amazon’s standards. By establishing multiple warehouses in the US, Lansil aims to slash delivery times from a week to just three days on average.
While this has not been a significant concern for retailers or logistics firms in Ireland, where Amazon orders typically originate from platforms in other countries, Coughlan predicts imminent change.
He highlighted the importance of swift delivery times in the wake of Amazon’s impending launch of Amazon.ie in 2025, emphasizing the need for two-day delivery across the industry.
Coughlan views Amazon’s entry into the Irish market as a positive development, compelling other companies to enhance their delivery services to remain competitive.
Coughlan anticipates that Amazon’s dominance in the market will drive a marked improvement in delivery speeds, citing the disparity between delivery times in Ireland (four to five days) and the UK (two to three days) as evidence of Amazon’s influence.
