30,000 Packstations: DHL wants you to pick up parcels yourself

DHL wants to build significantly more Pack stations in Germany: The logistics company has announced that the number of pick-up stations will increase from the current 14,200 to 30,000 by 2030.

“Our network of terminals is becoming denser – on average, the distance that consumers have to travel to receive their parcels is getting shorter and shorter,” said DHL board member Nikola Hagleitner according to dpa. “The stations are easy to use and available around the clock – which is a great advantage for customers.”

However, the expansion also has advantages for DHL: parcel deliverers can store several parcels at one Pack station and do not have to drive to the front doors – this saves time and money. “Of course, a parcel costs less when delivered to a Pack station,” Hagleitner told dpa.

Closer replacement stations when the Pack station is full

When ordering, consumers are free to choose whether they would prefer the parcel delivered to their front door or to the Pack station. There is no price difference for customers. The biggest advantage of ordering to a Pack station is that you don't have to be at home for delivery and can collect the parcel at a convenient time. Parcels delivered to the Pack station are usually stored for seven days before DHL initiates the return shipment.

One disadvantage, however, is that there is no guarantee that a parcel can actually be delivered to the desired Pack station. Especially at peak times, it can happen that the station is already full. In this case, DHL will deliver the parcel to another Pack station, which may be further away. This problem could also be improved by the accelerated expansion of the Pack stations, said Hagleitner.

Earlier versions of the Pack stations could be controlled via a built-in touchscreen. For several years now, DHL has been building Pack stations that can be opened via a Bluetooth connection using a cell phone. Many older models are being retrofitted. In addition to Pack stations, DHL also operates so-called Poststations. In addition to compartments for parcels, they include an integrated letterbox and a touchscreen interface that can be used to process various services. For example, you can buy stamps cashless at postal stations or get advice from a service employee via video call.

(dahe)