European parcels group GLS has announced the expansion of its B2C business in the Netherlands,increasing the number of parcel shops to a total of 270 throughout the country and planning the
launch of an additional returns service.In response to the boom in online orders from e-commerce, GLS is using its extended networkas alternative delivery points when private customers are not home to receive their shipments. Theparcel shops in the Netherlands are located in businesses throughout all industry sectors. About20% of the shops have longer opening times and are open on Saturdays.
“Every fifth parcel to a private customer cannot be delivered due to the absence of therecipient. This tendency is increasing”, explains Milo Kars, General Manager of GLS Netherlands. “Alot of recipients who are shopping online are at work or not at home due to other reasons duringthe day. Therefore we offer practical alternative delivery options.”
Kars says that the number of people making use of the pick-up service at parcel shops hasincreased from 15% to 40% during the last half-year. The customer base of GLS including severalonline retailers is growing continuously.
“Most of the recipients pick up their parcel already on the next day”, says Kars. “With ouroffer for drop-off and pick-up at the parcel shops we are following the current trend. By meetingthe requirements of parcel recipients in terms of comfort, speed and reliability, our B2C customersalso benefit.”
GLS is planning the launch of a new service in the Netherlands for easy management of returnshipments in the B2C mail-order market by enabling the customer to hand in their return shipmentsat the next parcel shop.
Kars comments: “We are ambitious to offer our B2C customers a comfortable interface to theirrecipients. Therefore we will launch a new service soon to enable B2C customers to not only havetheir parcels delivered to the next parcel shop but also to process their returns through theshops.”
