The Locker Lowdown | Edition 03
It's been another interesting week for parcel lockers and out-of-home delivery. A few stories stood out, from PostNL's expansion plans to the practical work of keeping lockers supplied.
🇺🇸 US | USPS highlights its smart locker network
A small but interesting detail in the US Postal Service’s holiday readiness update.
USPS says it has installed hundreds of smart lockers in cities across the country, giving customers another secure way to send and receive parcels.
The same update reports 164 package sorting machines installed this year as USPS prepares for peak season.
The lockers were only one part of a much bigger announcement, but they are worth watching.
🇺🇸 US | UPS focuses on network efficiency
UPS reported third-quarter revenue of $22.9 billion, up 6.7%, and pointed to improved network efficiency ahead of the holiday season.
Its US domestic revenue per parcel rose 6.1%. Not a locker rollout, but a useful glimpse of how much attention carriers are paying to the economics of each delivery.
Source: UPS, 27 October
🇬🇧 UK | Ofcom reports a dip in parcel satisfaction
Ofcom says overall satisfaction with parcel delivery fell from 78% to 75% in its latest survey.
It also found that 71% of recipients had experienced a delivery problem in the previous six months, with delays and parcels left in unsuitable places among the common complaints.
Not a locker announcement, but a useful reminder of why reliable and convenient collection options matter.
🇳🇱 Netherlands | PostNL sets its sights on 7,500 lockers
PostNL expects out-of-home delivery to grow from around 13% of parcels today to roughly 40% by 2031.
It plans to expand to approximately 7,500 parcel lockers by 2031, supported by an extra €50 million investment in 2027 and 2028.
What caught my eye is the focus on linking checkout choice, available locker capacity and the delivery operation, rather than simply installing more machines.
🇺🇦 Ukraine — Nova Post plans 50 locker-service vans
Nova Post plans to add 50 vans specifically for parcel-locker service routes before the end of 2026.
They form part of a wider planned addition of 110 vans, with the other 60 intended for deliveries to addresses.
It's a good reminder that expanding a locker network also means investing in the transport and operations needed to keep it running.
My takeaway this week
From PostNL's ambitious plans to Nova Post's servicing fleet, out-of-home delivery is clearly about much more than installing lockers.
The locations, software, transport behind them and customer experience all need to work together.
Have a top weekend!
Linzi
Feeling Ambitious
Keeping an eye on the people, businesses and developments shaping parcel delivery.
Sources
Originally published as The Locker Lowdown Edition 03 (Friday 30 October 2026).
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