The recipient decides whether the parcel can be left at the door if the recipient is not at home.
Posti has been testing new delivery types for the online store items from Germany that do not include agree on a delivery time with the recipient. In the trial, Posti sends a text message to the recipient of the parcel. By replying to the message, the recipient can state whether they want the parcel left at the door or delivered to a parcel locker if they are not at home at the time of delivery. Previously, the parcels have been delivered to the nearest Posti outlet for pickup if the recipient was not at home.
Kati Nevalainen, Head of Product Management in charge of parcel services, says that around 100,000 parcels have been involved in the trial, of which 20,000 have been left at the door of the recipient’s home if the recipient was not at home, as chosen by the recipient.
“Very often the online store items coming from Germany are from pet supplies stores: the purchases are big and heavy dog food packages. In those cases, it makes sense to allow the parcel to be left at the door if you are not at home to receive it.”
The online store selects the delivery types—In Germany, parcels can be left with a neighbor
Posti is a transport partner for online stores in Finland and provides parcel delivery services according to the agreement made with the online store. Online retailers often select services that do not include agree on a separate delivery time with the recipient as the delivery type.
“In the trial, we have, if possible, sent text messages or e-mails to the recipients of these parcels, informing the recipient of the delivery time. By replying to the message, the recipient of the parcel can indicate whether they want the parcel left at the door without a signature or delivered to a parcel locker for pickup if the recipient is not at home to receive the parcel. The third option, of course, is that the parcel will be delivered to a Posti outlet for pickup,” says Nevalainen.
In Central Europe, it is common that online store purchases are delivered to recipients’ homes in the daytime without arranging the delivery time with the recipient. In Germany, for instance, if the recipient is not at home when the deliverer comes to the door, the parcel can be left with a neighbor or on the doorstep. Nevalainen thinks it is regrettable that not all online retailers provide enough information to enable sending advance information messages to parcel recipients.
Mobile phone numbers and e-mail addresses play a significant role
“We can send advance information and queries for the parcels for which the online store has provided the recipient’s e-mail address or mobile phone number. In Finland, we are used to receiving the parcel’s shipment and arrival information conveniently in OmaPosti, Posti’s mobile app, and when this is not possible for all online store items, it may cause confusion.”
Nevalainen says that the online store is always the one to choose what kind of transport services it will offer for item delivery, and Posti provides services according to the agreement made with the online retailer.
“We are constantly looking for new ways to make Finns’ everyday life smoother when it comes to receiving online store purchases. One important service are the Smartpost parcel lockers. There are over 1,700 parcel lockers and Posti outlets throughout Finland.”
Smartpost parcel lockers are located in shopping centers, stores, offices and companies as well as locations such as housing companies. With Smartpost parcel lockers, you can send and pick up parcels whenever is best for you.
