SmartPosti has started preparations in Estonia for cooperation with the shared parcel locker network uDrop. As part of these preparations, SmartPosti branding will be added to selected uDrop parcel lockers, which means that customers may soon notice SmartPosti logos on some uDrop parcel lockers.
The aim of the cooperation is to make the movement of shipments more flexible and to help ensure smoother parcel collection during periods when parcel volumes are higher than usual.
“Parcel locker occupancy increases rapidly, especially during campaigns and peak seasons – for example, during the e‑Monday (e-smaspäev) campaign taking place this week. Cooperation with uDrop will help us ensure that shipments reach customers smoothly even in situations where some of our own parcel lockers are temporarily full,” said Rainer Oja, Head of Operations at SmartPosti.
According to him, in the first phase the uDrop network will mainly be used for shipments arriving from Asia and in situations where there is no available space in SmartPosti parcel lockers in the area.
“For customers, the parcel collection logic will remain the same. Shipments can be picked up from the parcel locker using a PIN code, as before. At the moment, system preparations and gradual integration are underway. Therefore, customers may notice the SmartPosti logo on some uDrop parcel lockers even before the service is fully launched,” he added.
According to uDrop CEO Marius Blagnys, the cooperation launched with SmartPosti is an important step towards a more flexible and efficient parcel locker network in the Baltics. “We are very pleased to begin cooperation with SmartPosti, one of the best‑known parcel delivery companies in the region. The shared parcel locker network allows parcel delivery companies to make better use of existing infrastructure and helps avoid situations where different operators install duplicating parcel lockers side by side. This makes parcel pick‑up more convenient for customers and helps bring services to areas where installing a standalone parcel locker would not be reasonable,” Blagnys said.
The cooperation will be rolled out gradually in Estonia. Initially, customers will not be able to choose uDrop parcel lockers themselves – in the first phase, SmartPosti shipments can only be collected from uDrop parcel lockers. Options for sending and returning parcels will be added in later stages.