Deutsche Post DHL has expanded its parcel locker network to include more than 3,400 Packstations across Germany, meaning there are now 340,000 compartments available to customers in 1,600 cities and municipalities. Because of the network’s density, 90% of the German population can now reach a nearby DHL Packstation in 10 minutes or less.
Recently upgraded, the latest DHL Packstation boasts a smaller more compact design enabling it to be set up in places unsuitable for the larger, original Packstations. The new Packstations are already in operation in Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Bochum and Cologne, and several hundred more are set to be deployed across Germany by the end of 2018.
Achim Dünnwald, CEO of DHL Parcel, said, “Our Packstation network is the only of its kind in the world and remains a true breakthrough in parcel delivery. The ongoing development of the Packstation is also a key success factor. We have again significantly expanded the number of locations in Germany and plan to continue adding new ones in the future so that we may offer our ever-growing customer base a way to send and receive private items in a way that can be integrated even more smoothly into their daily schedules. This is why we are specifically looking for central public locations where we can install our Packstations, such as in supermarkets and train stations.”
DHL Parcel is also making the Packstation easier to use. Toward the end of the year, it will be possible to print out mobile parcel stamps directly at the Packstation, rather than at DHL retail outlets. The parcel stamp can be purchased at any time using DHL online franking or the DHL app. The customer is sent an order confirmation e-mail containing a PDF download link and QR code, allowing them to print out the parcel stamp directly at the Packstation.
Another change is the new customer card, which will initially be given to newly registered customers. The new card has the same magnetic strip as the old card, along with a new barcode that makes using the Packstation even easier. This way, the customer can simply scan the barcode when they collect their item, enter the mTAN they are sent and then collect the item from the Packstation.
November 7, 2017