QikPod looking to roll out Indian parcel locker network
QikPod, a start-up company founded by entrepreneur Ravi Gururaj, has announced that it plans to set up a new automated parcel locker network across India. The company, which has recently secured $9m in funding from Flipkart, Delhivery, Accel Partners and Foxconn Mobile, is looking to start rolling out services in January.
Gururaj has announced an ambitious business plan for the company: “I believe over time parcel locker networks will help handle nearly a third to half of the parcels shipped across India’s metros.
“Our plan is to build the world’s largest parcel locker network with over 50,000 lockers across all major metro cities in India.
“I hope you will see a QikPod deployed in every apartment building, office park, many popular retail outlets and public transit locations in the not too distant future.”
The QikPod founder believes that smart lockers are a delivery solution that is particularly suited to India: “The traffic is worse here, the security problems are potentially worse, we need to consolidate more because the volume of deliveries and rate of growth is much higher.”
QikPod plans to start the locker network in the city of Bangalore and the company aims to be carrier and retailer agnostic. The company has not released details about who will be manufacturing the parcel lockers.
