Hermes UK announced the introduction of home, shop and locker services for sending, collecting and returning items in the UK. The news follows a partnership agreement with InPost which will see Hermes using InPost lockers in their nationwide ParcelShop network.
The initiative aims to support the growth of Hermes’ Send C2C business, which works towards providing shoppers with more choice and drop-off times.
Amazon started installed lockers in various London locations in 2012 and have expanded ever since. Amazon customers can now select a Locker location (convenient to where they live) as their shipping address.
To compare the two, there are currently 1,100 InPost lockers and 2,200 Amazon Lockers in the UK. When I checked the nearest InPost locker to a location in Berkshire it showed the nearest locker to be 11 miles away, located in a different county. This is compared to Amazon’s Locker location which is located 5 minutes away from the Berkshire location. However, if this fills in gaps for Hermes 4,500 network of ParcelShops, with the added ability to send parcels from lockers, this is a great move by the company.
Initially, around 500 automated parcel lockers will be added to Hermes’ network in the UK. The lockers will be accessible 24/7 and located in a variety of convenient locations including supermarkets, train stations and petrol forecourts. The advantage is that consumers can pick up their parcels any day of the week at any time.
“We know that for many busy people, lockers are an extremely convenient and attractive option and we’re proud that this initiative makes us the first company to offer a full suite of options. As part of our commitment to be the carrier of choice for every end consumer we are adding increased flexibility and choice for both consumers and retailers.”
-Martijn de Lange, chief executive officer, Hermes UK“Almost half of shoppers abandon baskets online due to shipping concerns but for many time-poor customers, Inpost’s parcel lockers offer the best combination of speed and flexibility. We’re therefore delighted to partner with Hermes to support retailers in serving their customers and to bring quick and easy, ‘round the clock parcel collections to the consumer.”
-Olivier Binet, managing director, InPost UK
