- Customers of all participating parcel service providers can use the new OneStopBox to send and receive their shipments around the clock
- OneStopBox also offers a Click & Collect solution for stationary retail
- Several thousand machines planned
- Lukas Beckedorff, managing director of the newly founded subsidiary: “We offer consumers even more flexibility with our solution. Our goal is to operate the largest open vending machine network in Germany in cooperation with the various parcel service providers and stationary retailers.”
- Open network will be built in addition to the existing DHL Packstation network
Innovative and sustainable Automations-Solutions GmbH, a subsidiary of the DHL Group founded in January 2024, is bringing the OneStopBox, a new provider-open vending machine system, to the parcel market. The machines can be operated intuitively, for example via an app or PinPad, and are characterized by an easy-to-integrate IT system with intelligent capacity control. This means that all parcel service providers who want to use the open network can enable their customers to send and receive parcels at the stations around the clock. In addition, retailers can deposit goods ordered online in the vending machines for their customers, so that they are not tied to the opening hours of brick-and-mortar stores.
“With the OneStopBox we are breaking new ground. The OneStopBox is the first provider-open machine that is used by DHL and is also available to every other parcel service provider. In addition, consumers benefit from an integrated click and collect offer through which they can pick up goods that they have previously ordered from stationary retailers around the clock. The OneStopBox offers them even greater flexibility and saves them additional trips. Our goal is that consumers can always use the machines – regardless of who they are Which parcel service they send their goods and who delivers the ordered goods to the OneStopBox,” explains Lukas Beckedorff, managing director of the new GmbH.
The machines should be set up in easily accessible, central locations so that customers do not have to make extra trips to insert and collect their packages. This is intended to reduce individual traffic and reduce CO 2 emissions. The OneStopBox enables all participating parcel service providers to deliver and collect bundled shipments in one stop, which also helps the environment. In addition, the Click & Collect offer strengthens stationary retailers, who can therefore sell their goods via additional channels. In addition to stationary retail, there are other use cases. For example, companies with technicians or field service employees can easily hand over goods, such as spare parts, to their employees via the machines.
The plan is to set up several thousand vending machines that are open to providers. In the first step, around 100 OneStopBox machines will be installed this year, especially in larger German cities, with around 2,000 expected to follow in 2025. “With our solution, we are creating additional slot capacity for all parcel service providers in Germany. The stations help them to deliver the overall growing parcel volumes, also against the background of the shortage of skilled workers in the parcel industry. Our goal is to work in collaboration with the various parcel service providers and to operate the largest open vending machine network in Germany for stationary retail,” says Beckedorff.
“From previous discussions, we know that many municipalities and city administrations are very interested in such a service-independent solution. For many citizens, it would be a positive development if machines for sending and collecting parcels were also available on public land that is usually easily accessible are available,” continued Beckedorff. Interested parties can contact us directly atwww.onestopbox.de.
The new OneStopBox machine network complements the yellow machine network of around 13,000 DHL Packstations, which continue to be available to customers for their DHL shipments.
Source: DHL Group