GLS has introduced its ShopDelivery service in France providing an alternative to home deliveryand extended its parcel shop network in Denmark to 1,000 locations.
With the ShopDelivery service, the company is strengthening its French B2C business and furtherexpanding its cooperation with major B2C delivery company Mondial Relay.
Thanks to the strategic partnership that started one year ago, GLS France operates a nationwideparcel shop network of 4,300 shops. Mondial Relay is a subsidiary of Otto Group-owned mail-orderand e-retailer firm 3 Suisses, and a sister company to Germany-based B2C specialist.
“With the introduction of the ShopDelivery Service, we are offering our customers another B2Csolution,” Emeric Bastid, Managing Director GLS France, said. “The delivery quality is improving,thus benefitting our recipients and shippers.”
The option of direct delivery to a parcel shop of the customer’s choice is very attractive foronline shoppers who are often not at home at the time of delivery. They can thus choose thisalternative during the online order process. The recipients will then be notified by e-mail or SMSonce their parcel has arrived at the selected parcel shop, ready for pick-up within 10 days.
In Denmark, GLS has opened its 1,000th parcel shop after adding 250 new shops in the last 18months and is further pushing forward its parcel shop expansion. “We want the parcel shops to beeasily accessible for everyone. With 250 more shops, we offer private customers the largest networkwith personal service country-wide,” Karsten Klitmøller, General Manager GLS Denmark, said.
As in other 11 countries where GLS is present with its parcel shops, the Danish shops arelocated in retail outlets and petrol stations which are often still open after people finish work,some of them even at the weekend.
Recipients can track their parcels up-to-the-minute by internet or the GLS mobile app, and findthe contact details, the distance and the route to the next shop in an easy and a convenientway.
Danish web shops can book delivery to a GLS parcel shop as the ShopDelivery service. Thissolution has been a great success in the country with parcel shop volumes rising by 103% during thelast financial year.
“GLS parcel shops will continue to play an important role for e-commerce,” Klitmøller said. In2012 alone, Danish online trade registered strong growth of around 20%, with demand forconvenience-oriented delivery solutions further increasing. “In addition, we cooperate not onlywith numerous online shops but also with the four biggest web service providers in Denmark.”
