Locker exchange
Finland’s Posti has launched a new pilot service, called Nearby Locker, which enables online sellers and buyers to exchange goods in a Parcel Point locker, rather than having to arrange a face-to-face meeting. “The seller and the buyer no longer have to find a pick-up time that suits both, they can simply exchange the goods using a Parcel Point locker,” explained Saara Pietilä, Business Manager at Posti, who added: “Posti does not deliver or transport the goods, but the Parcel Point locker serves as an affordable storage and pick-up point.”
Customers can reserve a Nearby Locker for a fee of three euros using Posti’s web services.
The pilot stage of the Nearby Locker service started yesterday (13 April) and will run until 29 May at eight Parcel Points in Lauttasaari, Kallio, Vallila, Käpylä, Kannelmäki and Tapiola.
“For the pilot, we chose Parcel Points in neighbourhoods that have active Facebook sales groups. The Nearby Locker service could easily be used for other purposes as well, such as exchanging keys on a busy day,” added Pietilä.
Customers looking to drop off items purchase the Nearby Locker service online and they are given a code that they use to open the locker. The recipients will receive the code for the Parcel Point via SMS, and they have a week to collect the goods at a time that suits them.
Posti said it will collect feedback from users during the pilot in order to review the development of the service.
