DHL Express has started using parcel lockers in Korea and Japan for cross-border deliveries to private consumers shopping online as part of its “On Demand Delivery” service.
In Korea, DHL Express has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Seoul City Metropolitan government to use Seoul's Safe Lockers for express delivery from abroad. DHL Express Korea said it is the first global express company to establish this partnership with the city government. The agreement will provide more convenience for customers giving them more options to receive parcels from abroad.
Through the MOU, DHL Express Korea has added 187 Safe Lockers across Seoul as destinations for its On Demand Delivery (ODD) service, which allows recipients to select a preferred delivery date and location to receive a parcel. To date, the ODD service covers a total of 213 locations including DHL Service Centers and DHL Service Points in Korea.
Parcel recipients can choose delivery to a Safe Locker by clicking on a link they receive via text message before delivery. Once the DHL courier successfully delivered the parcel to the chosen locker, the recipient will get a text message with a password that can open the designated locker for free, within 48 hours.
ByungKoo Han, Country Manager of DHL Express Korea; said: "Being able to provide a more convenient service to our customers through this MOU with the Seoul city is very exciting for us. DHL will continue to meet the demands of the fast-growing e-commerce cross-border market by continually improving customer satisfaction."
Seoul's Safe Lockers were initially installed to prevent crime against women living alone but have since evolved into a convenient pickup location for anyone who has difficulties receiving deliveries in person. Currently, 185 of 187 of these lockers operate round the clock and are located across 25 districts in Seoul. The lockers are mostly located at places with large traffic such as subways or bus stations.
In Japan, DHL Express also upgraded its On Demand Delivery service by adding parcel lockers as an alternative delivery option for consumers shopping online cross-border. The lockers are available at 255 convenient locations including railroad stations and supermarkets, primarily in urban areas in Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya. To provide more convenience to customers, DHL plans to gradually add more lockers. The pick-up and drop–off (PUDO) terminals are installed and operated by Packcity Japan Co., Ltd.
Taketo Yamakawa, President and Representative Director, DHL Express Japan said: " We have seen a significant growth in cross-border e-commerce shipments at DHL Express, and we believe this shows that a growing number of e-commerce customers are selecting our international express service because they recognise the advantage of the delivery speed and the high reliability of our service. With this new service update, we are pleased to further enhance the convenience and delivery speed for Japanese customers.”
DHL Express Japan stressed that it aims to “further support the growth of cross-border e-commerce business for Japanese companies, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) which are entering the market”.
The On Demand Delivery service was launched in December 2016 in response to the growth in international online trade to bring more convenience to consumers who can now choose from a range of standardised delivery options such as receiving shipments at their preferred time and location.
In May 2017, DHL Express Japan partnered with eBay Japan and PayPal to provide a new online payment service for international express deliveries for retailers selling cross-border on eBay Japan’s online marketplace.
