Poland’s InPost enters courier business
Polish postal company InPost says it has entered the courier business in its home country, for both individual and business customers. The company, part of Integer.pl Group, had previously provided parcel collections via its self-service locker terminals and some local courier messenger services.
But it says now it is launching courier services to deliver parcels either to the door or to parcel lockers, delivering across Poland.
Services will include guaranteed next day delivery before 12pm and 5pm. Around 98% of parcels will make it to a parcel locker the day after they are shipped, the firm claims.
InPost says its new offerings are particularly suitable for e-commerce retailers, with major Polish e-commerce platform Allegro already on board.
The service will include tracking and a free returns option.
InPost said it will be making use of its 8,300 customer service points throughout the country, including 1,300 parcel locker terminals, and 10,000 couriers in providing nationwide courier services.
“Integrated”
The company is also looking to link up with its postal business and its financial services capabilities to offer an integrated offer, it said.
“The future of the market is in offering a full range of services at each stage of the logistics supply chain, said Rafal Brzoska, the President of the Integer.pl Group.
“We are able to provide every element of the supply chain at the operational level between the buyers and the sellers. With proven infrastructure and an experienced team, we provide secure and reliable logistics services for a large number of consignments — even in the peak period in the run-up to Christmas.”
InPost said that with its parcel lockers handling 90% more volume in 2014 than the year before, it was confident in the move to enter the courier market.
The company said the e-commerce industry in Poland generates about 155m shipments a year, for around PLN 4.4bn (EUR 1.06bn) a year in revenue for shipping firms. The industry accounts for PLN 27bn (EUR 6.5bn) a year in retail sales, the firm said.
