Once again, we are nearing the most wonderful time of year, Christmas – buying and giving gifts to your loved ones. Unless those loved ones live elsewhere, then you’ll find yourself queuing for hours just to send off a package – yeah, that sucks.
However, fear not, as a new initiative by the Post Office has been unveiled with the hopes of cutting down queueing time and allowing for 24-hour-a-day posting.
Credit: The Royal Mail Post Office
Two dozen new parcel postboxes have been unveiled across London’s BR, CR, SE and SM postcodes so far, allowing locals to post parcels at all times of the day.
Before sending a parcel, anyone wanting to use the new boxes will have to go to the Click & Drop system on the Post Office website to print a label.
Packages can also be returned, although only if the original had a Royal Mail barcode.
Not only will this help those gift-givers with a big heart or those with a (bordering) unhealthy online shopping habit, it is hoped that the new parcel postboxes will help out smaller businesses and those who sell goods online.
We’re introducing a network of parcel postboxes across the UK.
The network of 1,400 boxes will enable small businesses, marketplace sellers and consumers to post pre-paid parcels in the same way they currently post letters. https://t.co/jeTJNrDNcI#SMEs #Business pic.twitter.com/0d0fKualDh
— Royal Mail (@RoyalMail) May 20, 2019
Mark Street, head of campaigns at Royal Mail said: “The introduction of parcel postboxes in south London means that customers can now send parcels with pre-paid postage and their returns in the same way that they do letters.
“The new parcel postboxes provide added flexibility to online sellers who might be running a business in their spare time and not keeping regular office hours.
“The launch of parcel postboxes is also one of the biggest innovations in parcels since the launch of Parcel Post in 1883.”
You can find your nearest parcel post box here.
KeiKei is a London-based award-winning journalist and videographer with a degree in Broadcast Media and Journalism from the University of the West of Scotland and an extensive reporting background in news, entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
KeiKei has travelled the globe interviewing, reporting and reviewing. Her work has been published in worldwide media outlets including, The New York Post, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Daily Mail, National Geographic and Conde Nast publications.
