Australia Post has announced a raft of updates to its services, as it attempts to keep pace with the impact the sharp rise in online shopping is having on the number of parcels sent around the country.
Australia Post said it’s seen a 10.9 percent rise in parcel volumes over the last financial year, a figure directly linked to Australians taking up online shopping.
According to Managing Director and CEO Ahmed Fahour, Australia Post has responded to customer feedback and the internet shopping boom by introducing new delivery options, such as the ability for customers to collect parcels from an initial 100 extended hours locations across the country and access parcel lockers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, after receiving email and SMS notifications when their parcel arrives.
Other newly introduced services include a trial of new self-service machines for domestic parcels and Billpay at five retail outlets initially, as well as Australia Post/eBay low cost satchels and boxes priced at a low flat rate to anywhere in Australia, no matter how remote.
Consumers and businesses can also look forward to a new international tracked parcel service called ‘Pack and Track international’, which offers tracked delivery between the United States and Australia at significantly reduced prices, with more international destinations to be added in the future.
To better support consumers and Australian retailers to get online, Australia Post will also introduce:
- 60 upgraded business hubs across Australia focusing on SME activity, with the first to be opened in Mount Waverley (Victoria) in November, and 20 to be launched by the end of 2012.
- In association with its partner Mailplus, it’s offering free Express Post product pick-up for new customers during October and November this year.
- An online label printing service, Click and Send, that makes it simple for customers to send parcels by allowing them to print labels, pay for postage online and organise courier pick up, from home or work.
- SecurePay and Shop In A Box products, designed to help retailers with their online ordering and payments.
