Estonian Post (Eesti Post) has launched its Post24 parcel terminal network in Lithuania with 35terminals to boost e-commerce in the Baltic countries and provide more customer convenience as well
as to compete with Lithuania Post’s own parcel terminals.The Estonian postal operator said its market entry in Lithuania will be followed by Latvia inthe near future. Overall, it plans to invest €2 million by installing more than 100 terminalsacross the three Baltic states.
The move comes at the same time as Lithuania Post’s acquisition of Baltic Post, which operates anetwork of 60 parcel terminals in 34 Lithuanian cities and towns under the name “SIUNTOS24”.
“Our role is to contribute to the development of e-commerce. The Post24 parcel network expansionhas been spurred by real customers’ interests and expectations. Parcel services should not bedeveloped with the growing customers’ needs only, but the service enhancement has to be always onestep ahead by offering innovative, convenient and customised delivery solutions,” Eesti Post CEOAavo Kärmas commented.
“The prerequisite for wider adoption of e-commerce is a convenient and fast parcel service. Wehave installed 35 Post24 parcel terminals in 12 towns all over Lithuania, following the Estonianmodel, where the terminals are located in the most visited places,” Joona Saluveer, BusinessManager of Post24 of the Baltic States and the Head of Lithuanian subsidiary, said. “This way, wecover the majority of consumer groups in Lithuania.”
As the most convenient option to send parcel, the Post24 terminals can be used 24 hours a dayand are accessible by foot, by car or public transport. The terminals are equipped withsurveillance equipment and provide the advantage of a long free of charge storage period, EstonianPost stated. Customers will also be able to track their shipments online.
By the end of the summer, it is planned to merge the Estonian and Lithuanian parcel terminalsinto a single network that will allow sending and receiving parcels between the two countries. InEstonia, the popularity of the parcel terminals and parcel volumes have grown rapidly with thevolumes having doubled since January this year.
In May, Post24 won an international award in the retail project category at the World MailAwards Ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland.
E-commerce has not yet developed very strongly in the Baltic states. In Lithuania, thee-commerce share is 1-2% compared to the European average of 6%, so there is considerable potentialfor growth in this area, Eesti Post concluded.
