Launch of New Parcel Pods Set to Transform Home Deliveries
A new system which provides a parcel pods for home deliveries has been launched and is set to transform the parcel industry.
The Pelipod, which has been designed and manufactured in the UK, provides automatic proof of delivery and gives couriers a safe place in which to leave the parcels where they can’t be stolen.
How does it work?
The Pelipod is a 61cm x 61cm x 70cm box which is totally secure and can remain in a customer’s garden for up to a year.
Described as a smart home parcel box, the Pelipod has an electrical keypad which prevents unauthorised access. This keypad is hooked up to a central system and also incorporates smart sensors and a camera too.
Ideal for the growing market of online buyers, Pelipod users simply add a unique code to their delivery address. The Parcel Flow driver would then open the pod using the code and deposit the item inside before securing it closed once more. The customer then uses the code to retrieve the parcel upon their return.
There’s no danger that a driver could open the pod without actually depositing a parcel because of the ‘delivery audit’ which takes place. This captures photographic evidence of the pod being both opened and closed as well as the parcel being deposited. An email is automatically generated which is sent to the user with details of the time of arrival.
The system can also be used to arrange collections too.
The pod is a standalone unit secured in place with a strong cable lock, and a battery that lasts up to a year. It also features GPRS technology which is how the data about the opening and closure of the pod is transferred and communicated.
On trial
Pelipod is currently on trial in the UK, with businesses and residents in the St Albans and Radlett areas trying out the system.
It is intended for use by both retailers and domestic customers and comes with a free 60 day trial. With no upfront delivery or installation charges, the Pelipod costs £5.99 per month with no subscription.
Every customer who signs up for a pod will have access to an online ‘Pelipod Portal’ which they can use to track the progress of their parcels and also collections.
Pelipod Ltd is a privately funded company and was founded in 2013, using experts from England and Wales to create the technology behind their creation.
Each Pelipod is continuously tracked via the GPRS technology and there’s free support to all users.
Designed to transform home deliveries
In 2013 more than £91billion was spent in the UK on internet purchases and it’s an industry which is continuing to rapidly expand.
But at present around a fifth of all parcels are returned or have to be re-delivered. For higher value purchases the figure climbs up to 60%.
Having to arrange redelivery isn’t just inconvenience for buyers, it’s also a waste of resources for delivery companies such as Parcel Flow. Therefore a system such as the Pelipod has the potential to not just improve success rates but also to cut delivery costs too.
The CEO of Pelipod, Karl Wills, said that he believes their product could transform the market, “Our view is ‘why wait? and to give British consumers a proven, easy-to-use alternative to waiting in for deliveries. Everyone knows how inconvenient missed deliveries can be. There are constant discussions about how to better ship, receive and return packages. Online shopping trends are only set to increase, and retailers and couriers need to have a more efficient way to deliver and give consumers much-needed peace of mind. We know from our initial field trials that Pelipod works, which consumers want to use it, and that courier companies are keen to partner with us. Meanwhile we’re proud to bring a British product to solve a problem for British consumers.”
Image Credits: Pelipod and Didby Graham