PostNL today launched its first ‘parcel locker’ to test whether Dutch consumers want to have theirparcels delivered to collection machines.
The company has installed an automated parcel locker in the main hall of the central trainstation at Almere, a fast-growing new town east of Amsterdam with some 200,000 inhabitants. TheMayor of Almere, Annemarie Jorritsma, was the first person to use the parcel locker.
She said: “In Almere, many people shop online. In fact, Almere was even designated OnlineShopping City 2011 by PostNL. So the parcel locker is a welcome development. This is a test casefor PostNL and we’re very happy to be the guinea pigs. Now we can decide when and where to collectour parcels.”
Gerrit Mastenbroek, general manager PostNL Parcels, added: “By introducing the parcel locker,PostNL is further expanding the consumer’s delivery choices. Many people are busy and aren’t athome much during the day. What a nice idea to know that you can pass by the parcel locker on yourway home from work and pick up your delivery. That makes buying online even easier.”
According to the company’s research, 12 per cent of online customers in the Netherlands wouldprefer to collect their parcels from a collection point instead of home delivery.
Over the next three months, PostNL will be trialling the locker boxes in Almere. The lockerboxes are located in three test locations which are very easily accessible 24/7: in the main hallat Almere Central Station, at an Esso filling station and at a city centre location.
PostNL is using the test to see whether and at what location(s) the consumer would like tosee locker boxes installed. The further rollout of the locker box depends on the test results inAlmere. PostNL chose the town because of the volume of online shopping which is done here andbecause the residents of this commuter town tend not to be at home during the day to take deliveryof a parcel. A great deal of support for the locker box is therefore expected in Almere.
The locker box is easy to use, the company added. If the customer is not at home when aparcel is delivered, a note is posted through the letterbox. Via PostNL’s MijnPakket, the customerhas until 10.00 p.m. to change the delivery address and/or time. Besides the desired time, thecustomer can also choose for delivery at home, at work, at a Post Office and now in Almere fordelivery to the parcel locker.
As soon as the parcel is ready for collection in the locker box, the customer receives a textmessage with a unique access code. With this code and their own mobile telephone number, they cancollect their parcel immediately from the parcel locker. They can also use the parcel locker tosend a parcel. In that case, the customer simply stamps the parcel online usingonlineverzendservice.nl.
