InPost has launched its 1,000th UK locker location in the UK – and says it will open its 2,000th next year.
The parcel locker service has opened the milestone lockerbank on Harrow Road in Wembley, London, as it scales up ahead of the Christmas shopping period. It says its network is now the largest in the country, and more extensive than 80% of the UK’s top 30 retailers that offer click and collect in their stores.
It also says this brings 70% of UK postcodes within five miles of one of its 24/7 automated lockers – making them a more convenient option than click and collect services offered through stores with limited opening hours. Sites include Transport for London stations, Victoria Station and branches of Morrisons.
Jonathan Smith, new chairman of InPost and former chief executive of Yodel [irdx vyod], said: “The expansion of our locker network and the opening of our 1000th locker location means that InPost is ready to support all parties during the peak of the next few months and to make sure everyone has a very happy Christmas. In 2015, we plan to double our network to 2000 locations, making deliveries across the country even more convenient.”
Commenting on the news, Neil Saunders, managing director of retail research agency and consulting firm Conlumino, said: “With online retail continuing to grow at a rapid pace, consumers want innovative solutions to prevent them missing parcel deliveries. Lockers provide a great part of this solution, especially because they can be operational 24 hours a day allowing the consumer to pick up products whenever it is convenient for them.
“Both overall and online, retail is becoming far more competitive. We know from our own consumer research that flexibility in delivery is a key differentiator for gaining competitive advantage and lockers are playing a role in providing consumers with more delivery choices.”
