bpost goes on offensive with rebranded parcel service
Belgium’s bpost is making an aggressive push to claim a bigger share of the parcels delivery market with a major new plan to reposition its services, especially with a view to e-commerce opportunities. It is bringing together its separate parcels and logistics services like Taxipost, Corpco and Eurosprinters to launch a new unified parcel service brand – Bpack.
And, the company is planning a roll-out of on-street package collection and delivery stations in order to transform its delivery systems for packages.
Bpost currently delivers around 23m packages a year, working for 6,000 major customers.
Making use of automated parcel stations, dubbed Bpack 24/7, will mean consumers can receive their packages round the clock, seven days a week. The stations tie in with a special website through which customers can register to use the service.
When they receive a package at their nearest Bpack 24/7, recipients then receive a personal code by text or email with which they can access the correct locker within the parcel station. The machines include around 70 lockers each, with three sizes of locker for different package sizes, with packages allowed up to 30kg in weight and 42.5 x 31.5 x 66 cm in dimension.
Plans are to install 20 machines within the next few months, 70 of the machines by the end of 2012, and 150 by 2013.
“Offensive position”
bpost CEO Johnny Thijs unveiled the first three machines yesterday in Brussels, stating his belief that since his company has improved service quality so that 98% of parcels are delivered a day after shipment, and with its strong position particularly in the last mile, bpost needed to take an “offensive position” in going after the opportunities on offer, particularly in the e-commerce segment.
The company is building its relationships with online retailers and ecommerce platforms, with several signed up to make use of the Bpack 24/7 service, including retailers LensOnline.be, De Standaard Shop, Mobistar and Shopplanets.com, as well as ecommerce platforms Magento and weezbe.
bpost is hoping to double its revenue in the parcels market over the next five years under its new strategy and brand.
The move into deployment of on-street parcel delivery stations comes as part of a big trend in Europe at the moment, with Deutsche Post growing its Packstation network within Germany and InPost expanding its Easypack network within Poland and around Europe.
