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DHL’s German postal unit aims to increase use of parcel lockers

Pilot program eliminates pre-registration hassle for e-commerce shoppers

Eric Kulisch
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An online shopper picks up a package at a DHL Packstation. DHL wants to encourage greater use of parcel lockers because of their convenience and cost efficiency. (Photo: DHL Group)
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Key Takeaways:

  • DHL Parcel is piloting a program allowing online shoppers to have packages delivered to their Packstations without pre-registration.
  • This initiative aims to increase Packstation usage by simplifying the delivery process for consumers.
  • The trial involves several online retailers and focuses on eliminating the need for pre-registration, a step currently required for receiving packages at Packstations.
  • If successful, this registration-free option could become a permanent feature of DHL Parcel's delivery service.
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The German post and parcel division of DHL Group said Monday it has launched a one-year trial with several online retailers to make it easier for consumers to have goods delivered to one of its parcel lockers.

Shoppers who order from participating businesses, such as Mosaik Tree GmbH (organic food and bone broth) and do-it-yourself home-and-garden store FarbenFux.de, now can direct orders to a DHL Packstation without pre-registering for the service. 

Sending shipments, such as returns, to the machines is already possible without registration. However, if private customers wish to receive shipments directly at the Packstation, they must register at dhl.de, fill our forms and activate their device in the Post & DHL app. They then receive a unique postal number, which they can use to have packages sent to the Packstation when checking out in the online shop. These steps are omitted if customers order from participating online retailers during the pilot phase. 

Customers simply enter the address of the desired Packstation when checking out in the online store. Once the DHL delivery driver has placed the shipment in the machine, they will receive a code via email that they can use to collect the shipment. The code can be scanned directly at the Packstation machine.  

“We want to remove further hurdles to inspire even more customers to use the Packstation,” said Benjamin Rasch, DHL Parcel’s head of marketing and product management, in a news release.

Vending machines are becoming increasingly popular for receiving and sending parcels because they can be used around the clock and are located in central public locations such as supermarkets, train stations, company premises, and residential areas. In addition to providing customers added flexibility, parcel lockers can also reduce costs for couriers by making deliveries to a single point instead of multiple households. DHL Parcel says millions of Germans regularly use more than 15,500 Packstations nationwide to receive parcels. 

If the trial is successful in driving increased use of Packstations, DHL Parcel said it will consider registration-free use a permanent feature of its delivery service.

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Eric Kulisch

Eric is the Parcel and Air Cargo Editor at FreightWaves. An award-winning business journalist with extensive experience covering the logistics sector, Eric spent nearly two years as the Washington, D.C., correspondent for Automotive News, where he focused on regulatory and policy issues surrounding autonomous vehicles, mobility, fuel economy and safety. He has won two regional Gold Medals and a Silver Medal from the American Society of Business Publication Editors for government and trade coverage, and news analysis. He was voted best for feature writing and commentary in the Trade/Newsletter category by the D.C. Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He was runner up for News Journalist and Supply Chain Journalist of the Year in the Seahorse Freight Association's 2024 journalism award competition. In December 2022, Eric was voted runner up for Air Cargo Journalist. He won the group's Environmental Journalist of the Year award in 2014 and was the 2013 Supply Chain Journalist of the Year. As associate editor at American Shipper Magazine for more than a decade, he wrote about trade, freight transportation and supply chains. He has appeared on Marketplace, ABC News and National Public Radio to talk about logistics issues in the news. Eric is based in Vancouver, Washington. He can be reached for comments and tips at ekulisch@freightwaves.com