The Locker Lowdown | Edition 04

Nov 6

3 min read

Morning all, and welcome to the first Locker Lowdown as a proper LinkedIn newsletter. If you've just subscribed, thank you.

It means a lot.

Peak is properly here now. Everyone's getting their networks ready, and one thing kept jumping out at me this week. Lockers are starting to share.

Here's what caught my eye.

🇬🇧 UK | New touchscreen lockers from this week

One of the UK's open locker networks has started putting in its new Generation 3 touchscreen lockers. Every new locker is on the new spec from 2 November, and the existing estate gets upgraded by the end of Q1 2027.

They're still solar and battery powered, so no mains connection needed. The touchscreen is meant to make life easier for drivers and for the people collecting.

It's open to more than one carrier too, which fits this week's theme nicely.

Source: Retail Times

🇪🇪 Estonia | SmartPosti borrows a neighbour's lockers

SmartPosti has added selected uDrop lockers to its delivery options in online stores. It's only done it in places where there's no SmartPosti locker nearby, like Tamsalu, Iisaku and Toila, plus one in Tallinn.

It's also using uDrop to take the overflow when one of its own lockers gets full in peak, mainly with international parcels from Asia.

I love how practical that is. Why build a new locker when there's one down the road that isn't full?

Source: SmartPosti

🇭🇺 Hungary | DPD gets nearly 4,000 more lockers

Same story, different country. Foxpost is opening its locker network to DPD parcels, which gives DPD customers nearly 4,000 more lockers across Hungary.

DPD already works with GLS there, and it's the first deal like this for Foxpost.

Source: CEP Research

🇺🇸 US | USPS says it's ready for the holidays

USPS has set out its peak plans. It's installed hundreds of Smart Lockers across the country, it's hiring a little over 10,000 seasonal workers (down from 40,000 a few years ago), and it's added 164 package sorting machines this year.

Returns are getting easier too, with more than 31,000 retail locations and more than 3,000 self-service kiosks.

Source: USPS

🇺🇸 US | Amazon puts smart glasses on drivers

Amazon plans to roll out 5,000 smart delivery glasses to drivers this year, and more than 20,000 by the end of next year.

They show drivers things like gate codes and where to leave the parcel, right in front of their eyes, and they're optional.

There's even a little paw print alert if there might be a dog. Every driver I know will be glad of that one. 🐾

Source: Supply Chain Dive

My takeaway this week

The big shift isn't how many lockers there are. It's who gets to use them.

Estonia, Hungary and parts of the UK are all heading the same way. Share the locker, fill it up, stop building two where one will do.

That changes the jobs too. Partnerships, network planning and keeping a shared estate running are going to matter a lot over the next couple of years. If that's your world, I'd love to hear how you're finding it.

Have a good weekend!

Linzi

Feeling Ambitious

Keeping an eye on the people, businesses and developments shaping parcel delivery.