Zalando and PostNord to Pilot Private Delivery and Returns Points in Denmark

• Zalando adds up to 50 private pick-up and drop-off points, operated by private persons, in selected zip codes in Aarhus and Copenhagen 

• Increase of convenience for customers and reduction of environmental impact during three month pilot phase

• Zalando is the first player to test private pick-up points to complement existing PostNord service points

BERLIN/COPENHAGEN, JULY 2, 2019 // Zalando, Europe’s leading platform for fashion and lifestyle, and PostNord collaborate to pilot an innovative pick-up and drop-off point service operated by private persons, which offers increased convenience for Zalando customers in Denmark. The private points network is managed by Zalando’s Dutch partner, Homerr. The pick-up and drop-off points will be located in residential areas in Aarhus and Copenhagen.

Up to 50 service points will be operated by private persons who spend much of the day at home, such as stay-at-home parents, the self-employed, entrepreneurs or retirees. Operators will earn an additional small monthly income for serving their community.

Customers will benefit from enhanced delivery and returns convenience by increasing proximity to the community service points, which will be typically located in the customer’s neighborhood, and offer opening hours from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. During the checkout process on www.zalando.dk, customers will be able to select their preferred pick-up point for delivery or dropping off a return parcel.

PostNord, who is already Zalando’s carrier in the Nordics region, contributes to the pilot by delivering parcels to the new service points, providing IT systems, and by communicating with the end users, i.e. the recipient will get a message via text or email from PostNord when their parcel is ready for pick up. The service will complement PostNord’s existing country-wide network of parcel lockers and around 1,300 manned service points.

The new concept will contribute to reducing environmental impact by up to 50 grams per package, since Zalando orders will be bundled to fewer addresses and, as a result, there will be fewer but more efficient delivery routes.

Remko Bakker, Lead Zalando Logistics Platform Services, says, “Testing is part of Zalando’s DNA. We continuously innovate and rethink our services to offer our customers more flexibility and variety. Complementing the existing network with private pick-up and drop-off points could add tremendous value and customer convenience, since they offer a win-win situation for both the private operators and customers. People who are at home can help their community by accepting parcels for their neighbors and in return they receive a small compensation.”

“PostNord is always ready to test new initiatives and to contribute to the development and growth of e-commerce. We are very delighted to work on this test with our partner, Zalando. Customer demand is key to us, and we are now curious to see whether the Danish consumers take on this new concept,” says Stine Sander, Head of E-Commerce and Communication, PostNord Denmark.