Retail is the UK’s largest private sector employer and turned over £403 billion in 2020 – according to stats by Retail Economics.
The retail landscape has evolved drastically over the years in line with changes to consumers behaviours and preferences. Retailers must remain up to date with the latest shopping trends and utilise technology to remain competitive in the digital age.
One technology that has taken the retail industry by storm is parcel locker systems. Here are the key things you should know about parcel lockers and why they are so popular with retailers.
Parcel lockers offer a secure and convenient package delivery and retrieval solution. The technology is most commonly used in the retail industry, although it can be implemented in a wide variety of sectors including commercial buildings and university campuses.
Parcel lockers can accept deliveries from any courier and store items securely until they are collected. When the parcel arrives, the customer is sent a notification with a unique code that they can use to access the locker and collect their parcel.
The retail sector is evolving and becoming more complex. Retailers are facing changes in consumer demand and behaviour and online shopping is becoming the preferred shopping method. Statistics reveal that over 75% of people are shopping online at least once a month.
Parcel lockers are the future of e-commerce and more and more retail businesses are installing parcel lockers to streamline their delivery and returns process. Parcel lockers help retailers remain competitive and meet consumer demand.
Parcel locker systems also allow retailers to track performance based on data such as pickup time, occupancy, turnover, customer feedback and so on. This data gives retailers a detailed overview of their delivery process and helps them identify what improvements can be made.
Parcel lockers can enhance the buyer experience and boost customer satisfaction. Here are some top benefits that parcel lockers offer customers.
Parcel collection via a parcel locker is quick and easy. The customer will receive a notification and can retrieve their parcel at a time that best suits their schedule. Most parcel lockers are electronic and can be accessed 24/7.
Figures show that millions of parcels go missing every year because they are left unattended on porches or outside homes. In fact, two in three people who shop online have had parcels go missing, damaged or turn up late in the last year, according to research by Citizens Advice.
With a parcel locker, customers don’t need to worry about being home for delivery. Their package will be kept safe and secure until they are ready to collect it. Parcel lockers also offer CCTV coverage and unique parcel codes for added peace of mind.
High shipping costs are the number-one reason why UK shoppers abandon their carts – more than 61% will ditch their order at checkout if they think shipping is too expensive. Parcel lockers allow retailers to offer cheaper shipping as it eliminates the need to deliver thousands of small orders to individual addresses.
Online purchases do not always go as expected and more than 30% of items ordered online are returned. Parcel lockers are easy to use and offer stress-free returns for customers.
The introduction of parcel lockers has made the delivery and returns process easier for both retailers and customers. Installing parcel lockers will streamline online order fulfilment, improve the customer journey, and help businesses remain competitive in the ever-changing retail market.
Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about how our parcel lockers could streamline your delivery and returns process, boost customer satisfaction, and increase sales revenue.