More than one-half of consumers intend to buy Christmas presents from web stores. This Christmas, they can pick up their purchases and send their Christmas gifts easily, thanks to Posti's enhanced parcel point network that now comprises 460 locations. This year, more than 150 new parcel points have been installed across Finland. Last year, the amount of web store purchases delivered to parcel points during the Christmas season was three times higher than at other times of the year.
In November, new parcel pointss were installed in Hanko (K-supermarket Hanko), Tampere (Sale Vuores), Karjaa (K-supermarket Karjaa), and Kotka (K-supermarket Pooki). A map showing all of Posti's parcel points is available at Posti's website. Posti's service point network comprises more than 1,400 different service points.
The proportion of consumers who have received deliveries using parcel terminals has increased to 27%. This year, approximately 10% of all parcels sent to Finnish consumers are delivered to parcel points. Research conducted by Posti indicates that 92% of parcel point users are satisfied with the service, especially the ease of parcel pick-up. Of these consumers, 87% find the parcel point to be a practical way to receive Christmas gifts ordered from web stores.
- Parcel points are in particularly active use during the Christmas season. This is supported by the dense network, good locations in stores and other such popular places, and long opening hours. During the Christmas season, the most popular parcel points are stocked several times a day, says Saara Pietilä, who is Itella Posti's Manager in charge of parcel points.
A further enhancement to the pick-up of parcels is Posti's new mobile application that provides an estimated arrival date and time for the sent parcel. If you have ordered a delivery to Posti's parcel point, the application will let you know when the shipment has arrived and give you the parcel point's locker code. The Posti mobile application is available at smartphone application stores.
Web shopping has been increasing since October. This is a good time to make online purchases for Christmas. One of the busiest online shopping days in Finland is December 8, the Monday following Finnish Independence Day, because people have received their tax rebates, and purchases made at that time will definitely be delivered in time for Christmas. The amount of parcels processed by Posti doubles during the weeks before Christmas. On the busiest days, 250,000 parcels are processed.
The most inexpensive way to send your parcel is to use Posti's special offer, €5/parcel, which is valid until December 8. The offer concerns postal parcels weighing a maximum of 10 kg sent from Posti's outlets, and S-, M- and L-sized parcels sent from Posti's parcel terminals and via Posti's web service in Finland (excluding the Åland Islands).
Important sending information for Christmas 2014 (PDF)
The survey, implemented using TNS Gallup Kanava between 7 and 12 November 2014, was completed by 1,106 consumers, which is a representative sample of Finns aged 15 or older. The survey was planned and the results were analyzed by Itella's Research Manager Kari Elkelä.
