Aus Post brings in 24-hour lockers for online shoppers

Updated

Australia Post is set to revamp its parcel delivery process to take advantage of the boom in online shopping.

It is to open hundreds of parcel lockers for people who are not home during business hours to receive parcel deliveries.

The lockers will be accessible 24 hours a day, enabling people to collect parcels outside post office opening hours.

Australia Post's annual report reveals the majority of the company's profit is now coming from parcels.

Company spokeswoman Jane McMillan says customers who make purchases online will be sent a special PIN code for the lockers by email or text.

"Then any time of day, 24 hours a day, you can go to your local parcel locker location enter a code, one of the lockers will open and your parcel will be inside," she told ABC local radio.

"We've found during the trial at nine locations across Australia, that the majority of people are picking their parcel up within six hours of receiving the text message."

The lockers will be rolled out in 250 locations across the country.

"This is just for larger items or for people who would prefer to go to an inner city location or somewhere in their suburb to pick it up potentially after hours," Ms McMillan said.

"I think the largest size locker is probably able to carry a case of wine and then there will be smaller lockers for smaller packages."

Ms McMillan says Australia Post continues to lose money on the national letter delivery service as mail volumes continue to drop.

"Our posties continue to be out on the road delivering the mail and small packages to people across Australia," Ms McMillan said.

Topics: computers-and-technology, internet-technology, internet-culture, australia, melbourne-3000

First posted