Consumer Consignia
PA NEWS 26th September 2001
CONSUMER CONSIGNIA
CONSIGNIA LEADS TRIALS INTO NEW DELIVERY SOLUTIONS FOR HOME SHOPPERS EMBARGOED: Not for publication before 0001hrs on Thursday 27 September.
:: PR Newswire, London, September 26. This press release is transmitted on behalf of Consignia.
Consignia is exploring the potential of new-style deliveries which mean people do not have to be at home to receive goods ordered from catalogues or via the internet.
The organisation has linked up with five providers of drop box systems to test consumer demand and the ways in which they work. Around two dozen retailers are also involved, including Oddbins, Sainsbury, Tesco, Taste for Wine and Penny Plain, the women's fashion mail order company.
It is the latest initiative in Consignia's drive to resolve last mile delivery issues and unlock one of the accepted barriers to even more rapid growth in the home shopping market.
David Taylor, Consignia's Managing Director for home shopping, said: "As the leading home delivery company in the UK, Consignia is the common link between retailers, consumers and the drop box system providers and is uniquely placed to lead the way in solving the challenges of home shopping fulfilment." The trial comes just two months after the launch of Consignia's Local Collect service, which allows people to have their goods delivered to their local Post Office branch if they are not at home to receive a delivery. This followed the roll out last year, by Parcelforce Worldwide, of time-window deliveries to 9pm to meet growing consumer demands.
Mr Taylor said: "We have tackled head on the 'last mile' issues to ensure home shoppers have a range of options for convenient delivery of goods. "The Local Collect service is a real driver for the market, but we are continuing to ensure we look at all the different delivery options available. This forward thinking approach really does cement Consignia's place at the forefront of the home shopping market."
He added: "During the experiment, Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide will be able to deliver parcels and packages to participating consumers who will see the benefit of receiving their goods even if they are not at home."
The home shopping market is set to grow to GBP 20 billion in 2004, compared to GBP 10 billion last year. But the marketplace accepts that a range of delivery options to meet people's changing lifestyles is essential if the market is to accelerate to predicted levels.
Consignia is working closely with systems providers BearBox, ByBox, HDA Delivery Point, Homeport and Secure Storage Solutions (3S). A sample size of around 200 consumers is involved in the trials with four of the providers although the ByBox system will be located in public areas and could potentially involve as many as 1,000 customers.
Trial Areas Postcodes System
London SW6, SW11 & SW15 BearBox
London KT3 & KT4 Homeport
Birmingham B92 & B93 Delivery
Point
Bristol BS30, BS35 & B36 3S
Manchester, Oxford and Milton Locations to be confirmed ByBox
Keynes
The system format varies according to provider, ranging from an external box attached to the side of a house with a simple battery operated keypad, through to coded access to a secure area i.e. a shed or garage. Enhanced functions on some systems offer a text messaging service to mobile phones and e-mails alerting customers to deliveries. Another option is a bank of locker style boxes which can be situated in public areas allowing 24 hour access in some cases.
The customer will agree a description of the location of their box with their system supplier. They will also be provided with an access code to open the box depending on which system is used. The delivery driver will be given a label with a set of instructions and, if necessary, an access code to access the system. Some providers will also allow customers to use the system for returns.
Notes To Editors:
Details of the drop box system providers, and their systems involved in the trial, follow.
BEARBOX
BearBox intelligent units are located outside the home, and are accessed using PIN codes, giving consumers the highest levels of convenience, the widest choice of deliveries and the greatest flexibility.
Large enough to hold four cases of wine, the first BearBox consumer model is manufactured by Electrolux, the world's leading appliance manufacturer, and designed by Conran and Partners. Subsequent models will be available in a variety of sizes and designs, both as ambient and as refrigerated versions. The units are made of tough composite with a steel inner cage and are fixed outside the customer's property using an expanding steel bolt. The door is secured using an ASSA-supplied electronic lock.
BearBox units are wirelessly linked to the BearBox Management Centre, the communications hub which schedules deliveries, manages PIN distribution and records access to each BearBox. The live link provides real time delivery notification and enables track and trace, giving customers peace of mind, and retailers and carriers value added delivery information.
BearBox is an Open System, requiring no special equipment nor integration for people to make deliveries, so BearBox customers can receive deliveries and collections from any retailer, carrier, local service, associate or friend, giving maximum choice and flexibility.
For security, PIN codes expire on use, eliminating the potential for unauthorised subsequent access, and are specific to a particular delivery, identifying and recording who has accessed the box and when.
Authorised retailers and carriers generate PIN codes either automatically via a secure XML link, or manually via their log-in on the BearBox secure website. Customers generate PIN codes as needed using text messaging on their mobile phone or via the BearBox website.
BearBox will be launching its first 5,000 Electrolux-manufactured units early in 2002 and is currently finalising systems and processes with lead retailers prior to launch.
Retailers in partnership with BearBox are Bluebird Foodstore, Boden, Carlucciois, Fast Flowers, Leaping Salmon, Lobster, Madabout Wine, Oxfam, PetPlanet, Spencers Dry Cleaners, Simply Organic Food Company, Tesco and The White Company. Announcements regarding additional major retailers are imminent.
Contact: James Bates – 020 7467 0757
BYBOX
ByBox operates banks of electronic lockers, usually situated in public areas, as delivery and collection points. Customers can choose to have goods delivered directly to a locker-bank or to have them re-directed to a locker-bank after a failed delivery attempt. The lockers are based on field-proven technology that has been used in over 20 countries for more than 15 years. The lockers are networked to a central management system which continuously controls and monitors locker activity.
There are two options for delivery. Firstly, failed packets/letter deliveries via Royal Mail will automatically be routed to the ByBox network. The post person will attempt to deliver the item but if the customer is not at home, the post person will place a customer bar code on a card which will be posted to notify the customer of an attempted delivery. The post person then places the item in the first available locker on arrival at the locker-bank. When the customer goes to collect their item, they present their card at the bar code reader on the locker-bank, the correct door opens automatically and the customer can retrieve their package.
Secondly, registered customers are given a customer number to be used as part of the address labeling when they place orders. When a delivery is made by Parcelforce Worldwide, it will be direct to the ByBox they have chosen. The delivery driver uses a secure access code to initiate the transaction and associates this with the customer number. The system will open an appropriately sized door in the locker-bank into which the package is placed. Once the driver has confirmed that the delivery was successful, ByBox automatically texts or e-messages the consumer with a unique access code for that delivery. The consumer then uses this code in combination with a PIN code to gain access, providing a high level of security.
Contact: Dan Turner – 01235 227370
HDA
Delivery Point, produced by Home Delivery Access Ltd of Solihull, is a secure access system enabling deliveries to be made safely day or night – even when the property is empty.
Delivery Point, which has undergone successful trials with supermarkets, offers a system which can be used in a variety of ways, allowing delivery of everything from a packet of frozen fish fingers to a three-piece suite.
A smart lock system is installed allowing access to a part of the consumer's property; a garage or porch for example.
The delivery company or organisation is supplied with a unique code. Delivery Point then automatically programmes the locking mechanism at the customer's address with two codes – the access code and a confirmation code for when the delivery is completed. The deliverer enters the code into a keypad. Once the goods are inside and the door is closed, the driver is issued with the confirmation code, which provides a digital signature and proof of delivery.
Delivery Point then informs the customer automatically via e-mail or text message to their mobile phone that a delivery has been made.
The system is simple to fit and totally secure, using a unique "one-off" code for each delivery.
Among the major companies with whom Home Delivery Access has teamed up are Iceland.com and Laing Homes.
Contact: David Phillips – 0121 248 2474.
