Royal Mail to launch electronic locker delivery solution

Royal Mail is set to trial an electronic parcel locker delivery service across the UK. The operator will roll-out its ‘iBox’ solution at 17 mainline train stations in London and across six other key cities, in conjunction with ByBox.

Described as an “exciting new innovation in home delivery in the UK”, the iBox service will be trialled for six months to initially gauge the product’s success.

Shoppers will be notified via email or SMS as soon as their items are delivered, and will have 24/7 access to their items, which are collected by entering a unique PIN code provided in the SMS at the iBox.

Similar solutions across the continent have been met with positive response, as a result of the everyday consumer now spending less time at home. The solution will also help drive down expensive home delivery failure costs.

When contacted by Post&Parcel, a Royal Mail spokesperson said: “Royal Mail is continually looking at ways of providing innovative solutions that help retailers to give their shoppers even greater choice over the delivery of their orders.”

In Germany alone almost 3,000 units are now deployed with 29% of consumers saying the availability of the solution had increased their online shopping activities.

Locker banks are also being used by various postal administrations in Norway, Austria, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, France, Poland and Turkey, amongst others.

Royal Mail has chosen to work with MetaPack to provide an off-the-shelf package that takes care of all manifest, labelling and reporting changes.

The iBox delivery option will be available on the Royal Mail Tracked 2-3 day service, so it can be easily bolted-on for retailers already offering this delivery option.