PUDO Partners with leading specialty 3PL to perfect signature-required deliveries to customers; Service to commence in Texas markets of Austin and Houston

TORONTO, Aug. 2, 2018 /CNW/ - PUDO Inc. (CSE:PDO) (OTCQB:PDPTF) ("PUDO" or the "Company"), North America's first courier-neutral Pick-Up Drop-Off Network ("Network"), is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with America's largest specialty third party logistics company ("3PL") to ensure timely and authenticated delivery of signature-required parcels to residential customers.

"We are thrilled by the alliance," says PUDO CEO Kurtis Arnold. "We began work on an IT integration strategy based on our client's requirements in April, in new and existing Texas markets, and are more than satisfied that our Network can meet and exceed the expectations of their diverse group of producer, manufacturer, and retail clients.  Signature-required parcels often contain perishable or environmentally sensitive commodities with very specific storage and handling requirements, plus regulated controls regarding authentication of the recipient.  Our new clients require a failsafe last-mile solution/advantage to extend their own environmentally-controlled delivery protocols, in those cases where the customer isn't at home to receive delivery of precious cargo.  Our Network is set-up for just such occasions."

Life is busy, and people are mobile. Consumers change plans on the fly, and very often, find themselves unexpectedly miles away from where they thought they would be to receive an important perishable delivery. Considering that the national average for failed first-attempt deliveries by all couriers exceeds 30%, this scenario is especially problematic and costly for online retailers of perishables and consumables.

PUDO has thousands of extended-hours PUDOpoint locations nationwide, conveniently situated near to where people live, work, play, study, even vacation, so in those cases where a 3PL's customer isn't home to answer their door, a simple low-cost re-direct to a local PUDOpoint provides a solution. Consignees can then claim their perishable deliveries without complication, at their convenience.

"We can assure our new 3PL client and its residential customers that deliveries will be stored and handled according to prescribed guidelines, and that PUDO representatives will verify age and identity details of recipients."  PUDO will begin providing Network services across the Texas landscape, starting with Austin and Houston by September, then expand services throughout the country, in tandem, activating PUDOpoint locations to suit.

Direct to consumer consumable sales in North America have experienced huge growth over the last several years, as more and more retailers come on-line, and states allow inter-jurisdictional transactions.  "We couldn't be happier to be working together with a top-shelf industry leader like our new 3PL client, providing them with a cost-effective last mile solution to help them grow their business," concludes Arnold.

The explosive growth in e-commerce sends millions of parcels across North America every day, through a gridlocked fulfillment and delivery system that hasn't had time to evolve or catch-up with demand, in a marketplace that has changed completely and entirely since the days of primarily single-family homes in which at least one person was almost always home to receive parcels.  Today, with many homes largely inaccessible, or unoccupied during the day, a last mile gridlock of failed deliveries, spoiled merchandise, and unattended parcel theft, stalls everyone in the e-commerce ecosystem.  The solution is PUDO.

PUDO uses plug-and-play technology to link existing bricks-and-mortar locations like convenience stores, with consumers and retailers, to form a Network.  By becoming part of the Company's Network, these merchants act as Pick-Up, Drop-Off locations for e-commerce shipments.  PUDO software provides consumers with a 'clickable' online check-out option to ship their e-commerce parcels to an, 'at-home away from home' PUDOpoint so they can pick it up at their convenience, and if return shipment is necessary for any reason, both the consumer and the retailer can be assured of a quick and frictionless transaction.

About PUDO

PUDO Inc., is developing North America's only courier-neutral parcel pick-up/drop-off technology and logistics network, as a means of solving the last-mile parcel-traffic-control gridlock that is crippling the $550B e-commerce sector.   E-commerce is faced with unprecedented cost control issues, based on disproportionately high last-mile delivery costs relating to undeliverable parcels, and parcels returning for refund or exchange.  As labour and fuel costs increase in tandem with parcel traffic and volume, the problem worsens.

PUDO's team of logistics and parcel traffic management experts have created a market intelligence and trends driven solution comprising courier-neutral plug-and-play technology for desktop and mobile, plus a strategically located network of parcel pick-up and drop-off PUDOpoints for pay-as-you-go use by all players within the e-commerce ecosystem.

Adopting PUDO technology shortens the last mile for the behemoths of e-commerce ? fulfillment and distribution centers representing thousands of retailers and millions of consumers ? by instantly extending their parcel staging and consolidation network and providing secure 'near end of the line' storage for the 30% of e-commerce parcels that are undeliverable on first attempt. PUDO's technology and network virtually eliminate costs associated with second-attempt deliveries, un-attended parcel theft and spoilage, and mismanaged reverse logistics on returns, and provides couriers, retailers, and consumers with badly needed cost controls, choice, and convenience.

PUDO was founded in 2015 and was recently named one of the Top 20 most innovative public technology companies by the Canadian Innovation Exchange. After two years of industry and market research, and successful beta testing the technology and PUDOpoint geography and protocols with major logistics stakeholders, PUDO is ready to activate its network through strategic partnerships.  Activation will enable all stakeholders within the network to access and control scalable, fluid, strategic consolidation in real time when and where needed, to lower costs and satisfy customer expectations.

For more information, please visit www.pudoinc.com or www.pudopoint.com.

Information in this news release that is not current or historical factual information may constitute forward- looking information within the meaning of securities laws. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "can", "will", "should", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Risks, uncertainties, and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, without limitation, uncertainties with respect to service implementation, the economic results of the relationship on the operations of the Company, changes in general economic, market, or business conditions, and those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. The forward- looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by law.

SOURCE PUDO Inc.