DPD Expands Service in Switzerland Through Partnership with Valora

DPD Switzerland and the food convenience provider Valora have entered into a strategic partnership for out-of-home parcel services. At over 700 kiosks, gas stations, avec shops, or Press & Book branches across Switzerland, packages can additionally be picked up, sent, or returned. This partnership addresses the changing consumer needs. Survey data from DPD shows that more and more people prefer flexible delivery at conveniently located places rather than home delivery.

(Due to the cooperation with Valora, DPD can expand its network for out-of-home deliveries to over 1,000 locations nationwide by the end of July 2024. The additional pickup points will be integrated into stores and shops at high-traffic locations. Many are open late and even on Sundays. To ensure efficient processing of shipments at the checkout, Valora has integrated the DPD application directly into its cash register system. Recipients can independently redirect their orders to a conveniently located DPD pickup parcel shop. If the parcel couriers do not find anyone at home and cannot leave the shipment, they will deposit it at a nearby DPD pickup parcel shop.

40 Percent of All Packages Are Delivered Out of Home

The expansion of the out-of-home network (OOH) is trending, as representative survey data from DPD’s E-Shopper Barometer shows. Fewer and fewer Swiss people receive their online purchases at home and instead pick them up at stores, parcel shops, or automated lockers. The share of people who primarily have their packages delivered to their homes has decreased in Switzerland from 87 to 58 percent over the past five years. In 2022, 24 percent of all shipments went to OOH locations. By 2023, this figure had already risen to 38 percent.

Interest in pickup points in retail stores has particularly grown. 16 percent of Swiss e-shoppers regularly pick up orders there, compared to 7 percent in 2022. More than a quarter of all returns are now processed through retail stores. The local shop is also becoming increasingly popular among users of online marketplaces: 20 percent of consumer-to-consumer online trade now takes place via retail stores.

Large Out-of-Home Networks Have an Advantage

DPD Switzerland is integrated into a pan-European OOH network with 110,000 locations through its parent company Geopost. The goal is for all customers in the 28 European countries to be able to reach a DPD pickup parcel shop within 15 minutes. This target is already being met 95 percent of the time today. The dense OOH network benefits consumers as they can pick up their orders flexibly. Retailers benefit from the lower costs of consolidated deliveries. Additionally, OOH deliveries reduce traffic and thus noise and emissions on the last mile.

The E-Shopper Barometer also provides a clear profile of users of OOH locations in Switzerland. They are on average 35 years old and live in urban areas. Only 10 percent of OOH customers are 50 or older. The gender ratio is relatively balanced, with women tending to frequent pickup points more often.

Excellent Locations Across Switzerland

“I am pleased that we have found an ideal partner in Valora for the implementation of our out-of-home strategy. The excellently located sites across Switzerland, the long opening hours, and the innovative applications are central to the joint development of an OOH network that meets increasing customer needs: receiving and sending packages wherever and whenever you want,” says Claudio Bichsel, Head of Customer Relation & Pickup DPD (Switzerland) AG.

Photo: © DPD