Finnish postal group Posti is investing strongly in parcel lockers and will hit the 1,000 figure as it prepares for a record-breaking end-of-year e-commerce season.
The company will install its 1,000th parcel locker at Helsinki Central Railway Station later this month, giving it virtually the double the number (533) that it had available one year ago. And the network is due to be further increased to 1,500 lockers during 2019.
In addition, about 100 extra pickup points will also be open for the Christmas season to help speed up parcel delivery.
“We expect the increase in e-commerce to be in two-digit numbers this Christmas. Last year, the number of e-commerce parcels we delivered increased by 15%. With our network of pickup points, the densest in the country, we can ensure a smooth customer experience even during massive spikes in volume,” said CEO Heikki Malinen.
The peak season for parcel deliveries begins with the seasonal sales of international online stores on Black Friday, November 23. The spike in shopping is seen in Posti’s logistics centers where, after Black Friday, parcels are sorted in three shifts every day of the week.
Posti’s own shops will have extended opening hours from November 24, and the temporary Christmas season pickup points open on November 26. Throughout the season, Posti will also be delivering items for pickup on weekends. SMS and the OmaPosti application for smartphones are the quickest ways for customers to receive a notice of arrival for their parcels.
Malinen opened Posti’s Christmas season by inaugurating the renewed Santa Claus’ Main Post Office in the Arctic Circle. “Posti has a strong presence in Finnish Christmas celebrations. In addition to online shopping, Christmas is the time for sending greetings to your loved ones. We hire over 3,000 seasonal workers to help sort and deliver Christmas cards. Santa Claus’ Main Post Office welcomes 400,000 visitors every year and receives half a million letters to Santa from all over the world,” he explained.
