DHL cuts prices to secure German festive parcel volumes
Price-cutting in the German parcel market is continuing, with DHL Parcel announcing a special price for Christmas gifts from tomorrow until December 22. Just two weeks after parcel industry association BdKEP slammed parcel delivery firm Hermes for launching a new small package service offering a EUR 3.80 to EUR 4.00 flat-rate, DHL Parcel has said it will deliver items up to 2kg for EUR 3.50 during the run-up to Christmas.
Deutsche Post DHL said the offer meant its customers could take advantage of the expected surge in parcel volumes to gain a cheaper price.
Jürgen Gerdes, the group executive board member for DHL Mail, said: “Christmas season is, and always will be, a peak period for parcel shipping, and with this offer we are providing customers with a very attractive service for all shipments up to two kilograms.”
The offer is available exclusively to parcel shippers via DHL’s online franking service, for packages measuring up to 30cm by 15 cm by 15cm in dimensions, weighing up to 2kg. Packages can be dropped off at post offices or at the company’s network of automated parcel terminals, otherwise known as Packstations.
Deadlines for sending items in time for Christmas are December 3 for destinations outside the European Union, December 12 for European Union countries outside Germany, December 15 for Germany’s immediate neighbours and December 22 within Germany.
Secure Box
The new Secure Box has computer-controlled locking systems
Also today, Deutsche Post launched a new transport container designed for the shipment of high-value technology goods.
The new DHL Secure Box has a “robust” packing case and a computer-assisted locking mechanism, which requires it to connect with a computer as it is sealed, and again when it is opened by the recipient.
The system developed by DHL Solutions & Innovations subsidiary Agheera has such high security and protection that insurance premiums would be lower for sending technology goods, the company said.
Scott Allison, global sector head for technology, said intelligent solutions were needed to make it easy to ship high technology items around the world, and suggested that the new Secure Box would be particularly suitable for transporting sensitive products such as prototypes
“In contrast to conventional cardboard packaging, the airworthy Secure Box ensures protection against misuse, manipulation and damage,” he said. “This box is particularly useful for our technology sector customers, whose products tend to be of high value.”
