The Post and the e-shopper

Would you like to be able to collect your parcel from a locker 24 hours a day? How about having low-cost, flat rate shipping anywhere in the country?

“The Post has unveiled a raft of changes to its parcel delivery and operational structure to meet the challenge of the online shopping boom, including parcel lockers to pick up goods bought online, self service machines for domestic parcels and special low-cost satchels and boxes.”

Before you start cheering, we hurry to inform you that the Post in question is – Australian, not South African.

According to local media, 70 per cent of the Australian Post parcel delivery volume, worth one million Australian dollars, is generated online. It is expected that internet shopping will only grow, and the Post (Australian, remember) is eager to gets its piece of the pie by:

• Introducing new services to enable e-customers to collect parcels 24 hours a day from specially designated lockers. The new lockers are being tested in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Customers are notified by SMS.
• Extending the operating hours of 100 stores, so that e-shoppers can collect parcels at more convenient times.
• Cutting the shipping prices with satchel and box parcels which can be shipped anywhere in Australia at the same, low flat rate.
• Upgrading 60 business hubs to focus on small to medium business activity.
• Introducing an online service that allows customers to print labels, pay for postage and organise parcel pick up from their home or work.
• Working with online retailers to improve online ordering and payments procedure through the Post’s SecurePay and Shop In A Box tools.

These “digital” changes have been dubbed the most significant to Australia Post’s parcel in its 200-year history.

Now, why can’t the South African Post do something similar to meet the needs of South Africans who sell and buy online, among them bidorbuyers?