DHL Express customers will be able to use Singapore Post post offices as parcel drop-off points under an agreement aimed at making cross-border more convenient.
In May, FedEx (NYSE: FDX) similarly made parcel drop-off services available at all SingPost POPStop service counters in dozens of retail stores.
DHL Express (DAX: DHL) said Thursday it is making international shipping services available to walk-in customers at all SingPost retail outlets, after the successful completion of a pilot program at 14 locations this year.
Since the trial’s start, parcel drop-offs at SingPost outlets have doubled, indicating strong interest in the shipping option. DHL Express parcels deposited at SingPost postal outlets are collected daily without additional charges. DHL also benefits from piggybacking on SingPost’s infrastructure and extensive footprint without having to build an extended retail network of its own.
DHL Express operates four service centers and offers its services at over 160 DHL retail drop-off points and almost 1,500 locker pick-up locations for customers across the island.
DHL Express has previously partnered with sister company Deutsche Post & Parcel in Germany to expand its network of service points where customers can drop off shipments.
DHL Express recently committed to purchasing 2.5 million gallons of sustainable aviation fuel made in Singapore, marking its first SAF purchase for international flights departing from Changi Airport and one of Asia’s largest SAF deals in the air cargo sector.
FedEx collaboration
FedEx’s nationwide rollout to all POPStop locations in Singapore followed a pilot program at a limited number of locations. POPStops are dedicated service counters at retail stores that allow customers to take care of e-commerce shipping tasks. FedEx customers also have the ability to drop packages at SingPost post offices.
With the addition of SingPost outlets, FedEx now offers over 410 drop-off locations across Singapore including SingPost’s Parcel Santa lockers located in condominium developments.
SingPost facilitates e-commerce
Earlier this month, SingPost expanded its POPStop network to more than 160 staffed Cheers convenience stores across Singapore. By embedding postal services within neighborhoods, sellers on digital marketplaces such as TikTok Shop and buyers can enjoy quick hassle-free access to shipping services close to home and work, the postal agency said in a news release.
Customers can send out or return parcels, and purchase smart packs and prepaid labels in the Cheers stores.
“By expanding our network of service touchpoints, customers can now enjoy easier and more flexible access to essential e-commerce services,” said Neo Su Yin, SingPost’s chief operating officer.
In March, SingPost said it planned to invest $24.8 million in its regional e-commerce logistics hub to expand parcel processing capacity. The money will pay for the installation of new sorting equipment that can handle up to 300,000 small parcels per day, triple the current capacity. The compact and modular design of the new machinery also frees up a significant amount of floor space, enabling future enhancements, the post said.
Officials said the upgrades could allow SingPost to open its historically closed networks to other parcel delivery providers.
SingPost’s eComm LogHub covers 553,000 square feet on three floors and includes a warehouse. In addition to smaller parcels that can fit in a letter box, the facility can process up to 100,000 larger parcels per day.
The postal service eventually intends to consolidate mail and parcel operations under one roof at the eComm LogHub to achieve greater efficiency. Currently, postal and e-commerce parcel sortation is managed in two separate locations.
Click here for more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.
Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com.
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