Many people wonder what exactly parcel lockers are and what the benefits of using this service are. This article will try to explain in a simple and succinct way what is a parcel locker and how using this service can enhance your mailing experience and help you save time and maybe even some money.
What is a parcel locker?
First of all, let’s start with the basics. What is a parcel locker?
A parcel locker is basically, at its roots, a container. But no, don’t think about this container like you think about the place where you store food and beverages. A parcel locker is a container that is secure and that enables people to receive large packages. I am talking about those packages that are too big in order to fit into standard mailboxes, those packages that are a nightmare for postal workers because they can’t be easily delivered.
Does it make life easier?
So, in order to skip all this trying to deliver the package and failing and so on and so forth, parcel lockers have appeared to simplify this entire process. So now, if you want to send a big package, instead of trying to send it directly to the recipient and struggle with mailbox sizes and so on, you just send it to a parcel locker. There, in that parcel locker, the package will simply be held until the recipient comes over and collects it, making the whole process much more streamlined and saving a lot of time.
Why should you use one?
Now, maybe this all still sounds rather vague to you and you don’t understand why you should give thought to using parcel lockers yourself, so in order to explain better, here are some of the most important advantages that using a parcel locker offers, both to the mail sender and to the mail recipient.
1. Security
First question everybody will ask is of course, how safe is it to have your packages delivered somewhere else and not directly to your home. We all feel safest when we are inside our environment and thus it is normal to feel a little uneasy when we think about our private correspondence being stored in another location.
So, are parcel lockers safe?
Actually, not only are parcel lockers safe and secure, they are actually more secure and safer than traditional mail delivery. Think about it, where is your package safer, left out near your door or in your mailbox that frankly, anybody can get into, or delivered to a locked container that has video surveillance around it, professional locks and is designed to withstand shocks and pressure?
The answer is obvious and this is why, having packages delivered to parcel lockers is a very safe and secure alternative, that can in time, once you get used to this method, over you even greater comfort and peace of mind than traditional mailing.
It gets even better
On top of this, every parcel locker can be accessed only by card and by a PIN code that will ensure even more protection of your goods. And even more reassuring, companies offer insurance for the goods stored in parcel lockers, so you have an additional safety net that you would not benefit from otherwise.
You should have to find the parcel locker that is closest to you and you can rest assured that your goods will be locked and secured and protected until you decide that it is time to pick them up.
2. Time and certainty
How many times have you been annoyed that you were not home when the courier arrived, or that the package was left out on your porch in the rain and so forth? We have all gone through situations like that and we know what a drag they can be.
This is where the parcel lockers come into the picture, because when using a parcel locker, the delivery of your packages becomes a certainty. You don’t have to wonder if the package is too big, you don’t have to go around the city chasing down the couriers or go to the post office and wait in long lines. No, it’s much easier than that, because your package is simply waiting for you in a secure location, close to your home, and you can decide to go and pick it up whenever you choose.
You will save time
And this is the second most important thing you save by using a parcel locker: time. You are the one that decides when to go and pick up your package. You don’t have to worry about the hours of the postal office, you don’t have to be there at a certain point in the day. No, with a parcel locker, you are free to access it at any hour in the day or in the night. You just need to have your key or access card and your parcel locker is there for you, thus saving you a lot of time, which we all know is the most important resource in the world.
3. Cost
There has to be a catch right? It sounds too good to be true. Well, the truth is there is no catch here, as parcel lockers are completely free and every major shipping company offers free parcel locker use for its clients. The only thing you have to keep in mind is that there is a time limit for your package to be stored, and if you exceed that time limit, the package will simply be returned to the sender. This time limit depends from company to company, with 15 working days days in case of USPS Gopost, 7 working days for UPS Access Points and DHL Lockers, going down to 5 working days for FedEx Ship&Get and just 3 working days for Amazon Lockers.
So keep that in mind and inform yourself on the limits before you start using this service.
In conclusion
Ok, so you are convinced and you want to start using a parcel locker today, what do you have to do? It’s as easy as locating the closest parcel locker to you and going there and getting one. These parcel lockers are most commonly located out in the open in very public spaces, so that postal workers and couriers have easy access to them. So just go and search for the closest one to you in the lobbies of buildings, in reception areas or yes, even on sidewalks. They are not hard to find and they will for sure make your mailing experience better.
Hopefully, this post has answered what is a parcel locker.
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