An Post 'In-Flight' delivery options land for online shoppers
14 November 2018
14th November, 2018: An Post is preparing for its busiest Christmas ever, with parcel volumes up almost 50% on last year due to ever-increasing levels of online shopping and Black Friday sales activity expected to break all records.
For customers, safe, secure, convenient delivery is always a concern. Now An Post’s new Inflight Delivery Options allow shoppers to pick and choose exactly where and when to have their parcels delivered. The evening before an item from an e-tailer is due for delivery, the customer receives an email or text from An Post telling them it is on its way and allowing them to choose, with two clicks, one of five alternative delivery options, if they
are not going to be home to receive their parcel:
- Delivery to a Safe Place (eg a porch or specific spot in the garden);
- Delivery to a neighbour;
- Delivery to an alternative address;
- Delivery on a different day or
- Click & Collect at any Post Office or specified collection point. (Post offices open 6 days a week).
On the day of delivery, another reminder tells the customer where and when their items will be delivered and they can track along its journey at anpost.com.
“It’s really simple to use and customers just love the flexibility to suit their schedule while remaining in full control of their parcel deliveries – all through their phone. And online retailers all want to offer this level of service to their shoppers”, explains Gilles Ferrandez, Commercial Director, An Post.
“We’ve invested in the technology and we’ll invest in further automation next year. We have the people, the fleet and the local address knowledge. We’ll deliver more than 5 million parcels between now and our Christmas dinner. Speedy, secure delivery is what customers want”, he added.
More than €5 billion was spent online by Irish customers last year. Incoming international parcel traffic is growing steadily, as is online shopping for domestic brands with sectors such as Toys, Fashion and Home Furnishings up more than 20%. An Post is the biggest player in the Irish parcel delivery sector with more than 30 per cent of the market, delivering 30 million packages annually.