DHL today ruled out joining the carrier-neutral parcel box delivery system presented by DPD, GLS and Hermes while UPS is open to possibly using the B2C final-mile delivery solution in future but is focusing on other solutions at present.
ParcelLock is designed to be Germany’s first “neutral” system for delivering B2C parcels to consumer homes when the recipient is absent. The system, which uses secure metal boxes and textile bags for deliveries, will be tested over the coming months and launch commercially next summer.
DPD, GLS and Hermes said at a joint press conference yesterday that ParcelLock, which aims to capture “a large part” of the estimated 3.5 million households who might install such devices, is a “new industrial standard” that is open to all carriers. The three company have so far invested a seven-digit sum – equivalent to a single-digit million euro sum – into the ParcelLock system.
But DHL Parcel, the German B2C parcel market leader, emphasised that it is “very satisfied” with its own exclusive parcel-boxes, which it launched commercially in May 2014, and will continue to develop exclusive delivery solutions, such as parcel-boxes for apartment blocks. The number of DHL parcel-boxes in operation is not disclosed for competitive reasons.
Thomas Ogilvie, Senior Vice President Consumers for DHL Parcel Germany, told CEP-Research: “DHL Parcel offers all customers individually suitable solutions to receive parcels. We have a broad portfolio with our Packstations, parcel-boxes for houses and mobile solutions.
“With the parcel-boxes we have an offer that our customers have accepted extremely positively. We have gained a lot of experience with it and our success is proving us right. Competitors have a lot to catch up on.”
Commenting on whether DHL would also cooperate with ParcelLock, Ogilvie stated: “DHL is always open to market developments. With partners such as the ‘Parcel Butler’, the ‘Paksafe’ and ‘Parcelhome’ we have been piloting innovative receipt solutions from third parties for many months. However, we are not planning any cooperation with direct competitors.” This included not delivering directly into the ParcelLock boxes and bags.
A DHL Parcel spokeswoman added that the company is currently piloting ‘parcel-box systems’ for apartment blocks with some 500 test customers in Berlin and Dortmund, and aims to roll these out Germany-wide early in the first quarter of next year.
Meanwhile, UPS is staying neutral about the ParcelLock system as it continues to expand its B2C services in Germany.
A UPS Germany spokesman said: “We believe an open parcel-box system that is accessible to all parcel services is the most consumer-friendly solution. At present we can’t say whether we will use the system presented by DPD, Hermes and GLS in the future. However, we are closely watching its development.”
The company is currently focusing on UPS MyChoice, its delivery notification and re-routing options service, and UPS Access Points, its network of alternative delivery locations, as it believes these are “more productive”, he added. UPS now has about 3,000 partner parcel shops in Germany.
