Major step-change for Australian e-commerce
Australia Post has teamed up with fulfilment technology provider, Doddle, to extend its network of collect and return locations and make online shopping even easier.
Australia Post Collect & Return will offer shoppers the choice to collect and return online shopping at a diverse network of locations including Post Offices, 24/7 Parcel Lockers supermarkets, pharmacies and department stores nationwide.
At launch, the network of retail partners will include selected IGA supermarkets, Priceline pharmacies, Aventus Group shopping centres and selected assets managed by 151 Property Retail. This will grow in the new year, offering shoppers extended trading hours and convenient locations to collect and return their online shopping.
The partnership will build on Australia Post’s existing network of over 4,300 Post Offices, parcel lockers in more than 350 locations and 15,500 Street Posting Boxes to make it even easier for customers to choose where and when they collect and return their online shopping.
Customers will be able to select their most convenient location from a map offered in the checkout of their favourite online retailers, functionality powered by Doddle technology. Notifications will be sent to customers advising when parcels are ready for collection.
Returning items will also be quicker and easier, with shoppers able to register returns online which will generate a barcode for them to present in-store, without needing to print a label. Post Offices and retail partners scan the customer’s barcode and accept the parcel over the counter, for Australia Post to return.
Australia Post General Manager Parcel and Express Services/Intermediaries Ben Franzi commented: “We are determined to provide our customers with services that make their online shopping experience seamless and even easier to access.”
“We’re excited to be working with Doddle and retail partners to give customers the flexibility they’ve been after, the ability to collect and return parcels when and where it suits them,” he added.
Justin Dery, CEO of Doddle Asia-Pacific, said that combining Australia Post’s unrivalled delivery network with Doddle’s parcel collect and return technology, creates a major step-change in the Australian e-commerce delivery landscape.
“‘Pick-up’ services are the fastest growing delivery option globally and with 35% of Australian consumers picking up an online order last year, the potential in this market is huge,” he explained.
“We look forward to working with Australia Post to provide greater convenience to consumers and support online retailers with delivery solutions that drive customer loyalty.”
Tim Robinson, founding CEO of Doddle, commented: “The expertise and technology that Doddle has developed for the UK e-commerce market – one of the most advanced in the world – has huge and growing global relevance. “With parcel volumes soaring and the world increasingly moving away from a single parcel to single door, one-size-fits-all approach to fulfilment, many of the biggest international carriers and postal services are actively seeking ways to update their models. Our unique consumer insight, know-how and proven, scalable technology makes us ideally placed to do that.”
