In the last ‘episode’, we analysed the state of the art of Out Of Home deliveries in the main European markets, taking an in-depth look at how many Lockers and Pick-up Points dedicated to eCommerce deliveries are already in place in countries such as Italy, Poland, Germany, France, the UK and Spain.
What is important to emphasise, however, is that it is not enough to have a large number of Lockers and Pick-up Points in the territory to increase the number of Out Of Home deliveries, but it is also their strategic location that plays a key role in optimising the benefits of this delivery mode for the benefit of eCommerce, eShoppers and the environment.
In this article, we elaborate on how and why it is also crucial to optimise the ‘locations’ in which Pick-up Points and Lockers are located, providing some useful tips for rethinking a correct location and bringing some successful examples from Europe. Let us begin!
Why is the location of Pick-up Points and Lockers strategic?
The location of Pick-up Points and Lockers is not only a matter of convenience for the consumer, but directly influences the sustainability and efficiency of logistics.
In fact, a well-distributed network makes it possible to reduce the number of kilometres travelled by couriers, thus reducing costs, delivery times and CO₂ emissions. But let us see in more detail how.
Reducing delivery times and costs
It is easy to see how a well-distributed Network of Lockers and Pick-up Points allows couriers to optimise delivery routes, thereby reducing distances travelled and stopover times.
Shorter distances also mean lower operating costs, as well as an overall improvement in logistical efficiency. Furthermore, by reducing the distance between the point of departure and the point of delivery, the risk of delays is also reduced, thus improving the overall level of service offered to consumers – who, no, don’t like it at all when an order is delayed with respect to the planned delivery.
But let’s take it a step further: lower operating costs obviously also have a positive impact on the price of shipping. Faster and cheaper deliveries can translate into cheaper rates for end customers, making eCommerce even more competitive.
In short, optimising the location of Lockers and Pick-up Points means: reducing the distances travelled, thus reducing operating costs, thus making logistics management more efficient on the one hand and offering a better service to customers on the other. Clear, no? But let’s move on, the advantages do not end there.
Improved accessibility for consumers
Have you ever, when you arrive at the checkout of an online purchase, wanted to select a Locker as the pick-up method, but could not find one nearby?
Unfortunately, this is what happens when the location of the Lockers is not strategically thought out. And what happens then? If a customer does not have a Locker or a convenient Pick-up Point nearby, he will opt for home delivery or, even worse, if home delivery is not an option – perhaps because the customer already knows that he will not be at home at the time of delivery – he will forgo the purchase.
In short, the accessibility of Lockers and Pick-up Points for consumers is an issue that also directly affects sales.
Pick-up Points and Lockers should therefore be located in locations easily accessible to consumers, such as shopping centres, supermarkets and areas with high foot traffic. Good accessibility improves the shopping experience and encourages the adoption of Out Of Home delivery solutions.
When a Locker or Pick-up Point is conveniently located, consumers can combine parcel pick-up with other daily activities, such as shopping or taking public transport. This reduces the need for dedicated trips for pick-up, limiting vehicle traffic and contributing to the reduction of the ecological footprint.
Let us also not forget the advantage of flexibility. Many consumers work or study during the day and may not be home at the time of delivery. Lockers – accessible 24/7 – and Pick-up Points offer a practical solution, allowing pick-up at any time without the need to coordinate with the courier.
Environmental sustainability and impact on emissions
Finally, we come to an issue that is very close to our hearts: that of environmental sustainability.
Lockers and Pick-up Points allow eCommerce to be more sustainable than even traditional shopping, as emerged from the research ‘The Environmental Impact of eCommerce Deliveries‘ conducted by Netcomm together with the Research Group B2c Logistics Center of the Politecnico di Milano. For this to happen, however, the location of Lockers in urban and suburban areas is crucial.
If the Lockers are placed in strategic areas of the city, it is possible to reduce urban traffic and, consequently, the CO₂ emissions associated with last-mile transport.
Another element to consider is the adoption of electric or environmentally friendly vehicles for deliveries to the Locker, such as e-Vans and cargo-bikes. In many European cities, couriers are already experimenting with fleets of electric vans or cargo-bikes for the distribution of parcels, thus further contributing to the reduction of air pollution.
But what are the best practices at European level? Read on to find out!
Best practices in Europe
Several European countries have already adopted effective strategies for the distribution of Pick-up Points and Lockers on their territory. Let us analyse some of the most relevant ones.
The German model: Locker in petrol stations and supermarkets
In Germany, many Lockers are located at petrol stations and supermarkets, providing easy and flexible access for consumers to collect their parcels while going about their daily business, without the need to make significant detours.
The idea behind this is precisely to make parcel collection part of consumers’ daily activities, minimising the extra time needed for delivery and collection.
The French case: integrating Lockers in public transport stations
France has developed an extensive network of Lockers located near railway stations and public transport stops, making them easily accessible for commuters, i.e. customers who are unlikely to opt for home delivery since they spend a lot of time away from home.
Commuter-shoppers can thus collect their parcels on their way to work, avoiding additional trips and with maximum convenience and flexibility.
UK focuses on peripheral areas
A particular case of strategic location of Lockers and Pick-up Points is represented by the UK, where attention was also paid to less densely populated areas, i.e. outside the large urban centres where it is often – also in Italy – more difficult to find Lockers and Pick-up Points enabled to collect online orders. It is indeed essential not to forget customers who do not live in cities, so as to guarantee them the same kind of offer and level of service.
The UK is therefore also installing Lockers in suburban and rural areas to ensure more uniform coverage throughout the country.
The situation in Italy
In Italy, the spread of Lockers and Pick-up Points is still at a developmental stage compared to other European countries, as we also saw in our previous article.
In Italy, there were more than 47,000 Pick-up Points in 2023. A significant increase from the 36,000 recorded in 2021, demonstrating how this delivery solution truly represents the future of last-mile logistics. Considering an Italian population of about 60 million inhabitants, this figure translates into about 7.8 Pick-up Points for every 10,000 inhabitants, i.e. one point for every 1,276 people; but with still significant differences between different areas of the country.
In metropolitan areas and provincial capitals, the presence of Lockers is in fact more widespread, with an average of one Locker per approximately 14,000 inhabitants. In contrast, in suburban areas, the density drops to one Locker per 32,000 inhabitants.
To give some numbers useful to understand the Italian situation in comparison to the European landscape, in Germany there is one Locker for every 16,000 inhabitants, allowing 90% of the population to reach a pick-up point in less than ten minutes. In Spain, the density is even higher, with one pick-up point per 8,000 inhabitants. In contrast, countries such as Portugal, the Netherlands and Sweden have a lower density of Lockers, with a ratio of one Locker per 510,000, 96,000 and 86,000 inhabitants respectively.
GEL Proximity: the solution for efficient Out Of Home logistics
To best meet the challenges of last-mile logistics, choose GEL Proximity!
GEL Proximity is the first aggregator of Lockers and Collection Points with a Proximity Network consisting of tens of thousands of newsstands, stationers, post offices, lockers, tobacconists, shops and petrol stations. The GEL Proximity technology allows easy access to the services of all available Networks, eliminating integration and maintenance costs.
By choosing GEL Proximity, you can immediately start offering your customers the possibility to pick up their orders online from over 300,000 already active Pick-up Points across Europe, quickly and easily.
You can connect GEL Proximity using our dedicated libraries and APIs, or by downloading the module from the marketplace of your eCommerce software.
