

Australia Post's free Amazon locker-style service - damian2000
http://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/parcel-lockers.html

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mrweasel
The Danish postal service has these as well. They're aren't great during the
winter when the doors freezes shut. It's not to bad when the postman is
prevented from loading your packages, they'll just end up at the post office.
The real problem is when people have unlocked the door to get their package
but then are unable to actually open the door.

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schumacher
Such a service exists for a long time in Germany
<http://www.dhl.de/en/paket/pakete-empfangen/packstation.html>

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WimLeers
Also exists in Belgium:
[http://www.bpost.be/site/nl/residential/parcels/pickup/bpack...](http://www.bpost.be/site/nl/residential/parcels/pickup/bpack247.html)

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xinternetx
I've been an early adopter of this since May 2012. I've used it quite a lot
and it's great. The mileage is going to be on how other courier services are
accepted. If you have a package couriered to this address from anyone but
StarTrack, it's not going to be accepted. So for national deliveries this
service is great, however international shipping (which is generally
couriered) ends up being a problem. Either way you should sign up if you're
Australian, this is the best thing Auspost have done in years.

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rex_gsd
Looking forward to some of the major US carriers like UPS, or even USPS
signing on to this.

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talaketu
Notice that it's a free* service.

* conditions apply - see Little's Law.

Interesting, because, on a marginal basis, it probably saves Australia Post
delivery costs, making this another example of the security/convenience trade-
off.

Normally, you want the convenience of home delivery - but this allows you to
trade that for security.

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thmcmahon
It's not convenient in Australia to have packages delivered, if you're not
there when they're delivered then they generally end up either at the Post
Office or at some random courier's warehouse in an out of the way part of
town.

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timv
Wow, your delivery gut checks whether you're there? Most of them have decided
that coming to the door is too much work and just drop the "come collect your
parcel" card in the letter box.

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damian2000
That used to happen regularly to me too, when I lived in an apartment. I
managed to make a complaint about it once to the local postmaster.

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rurounijones
They have this in my Apartment building in Japan.

When the postman comes and I am out then there are a series of electronic
lockers of varying sizes in the foyer that he can put the package in then
leave the key code in my letter box.

Works excellently although I am not sure how they avoid abuse by people.

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BoyWizard
This service is amazing. I've been using the pilot for about 6 months and it's
the best thing they've done. Get an email or SMS about a package and a code,
rock up, punch your name and the code, the locker pops open and you get your
package!

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nisse72
NZ post is introducing a similar service, currently on a trial basis:

[http://www.nzpost.co.nz/products-services/online-
shopping/pa...](http://www.nzpost.co.nz/products-services/online-
shopping/parcelpod)

~~~
NZ_Matt
NZ post also has parcel forwarding service from the United States. It's pretty
great being able to order anything from US online stores.

[http://www.nzpost.co.nz/products-services/online-
shopping/yo...](http://www.nzpost.co.nz/products-services/online-
shopping/youshop)

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damian2000
Oops, this isn't a new service apparently - it has been running since October,
2012.

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RileyJames
I've never seen or heard of these before. They have a decent number of
locations (one is quite close to where I live). I'm not sure why they are not
pushing this harder. Having to pick up a parcel from their stores between 9 -
5, monday to friday is the only painful part of using AusPost.

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autoreverse
FYI some post offices, in NSW at least, have an "early bird" collection window
for parcels and PO Box holders. My local opens from 07:30 to 08:30 IIRC. Handy
for avoiding the queues.

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pkaler
Canada Post put parcel lockers in the lobby of my building before Christmas
this year, too.

<http://instagram.com/p/TT99kWmyd5/>

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MarkMc
I used it, but because I didn't collect the item within 2 days it was moved to
the local post office :(

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jxf
Is this basically BufferBox but in Australia?

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mceoin
Looks like it. For reference, Australia Post is the equivalent to the USPS.

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delsarto
except they don't deliver on Saturday, don't pick-up mail from your mailbox
and a letter costs 60c instead of 44c

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dougk16
"except they don't deliver on Saturday"

Neither will the US, probably, soon ([http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-
way/2013/02/06/171264853/rep...](http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-
way/2013/02/06/171264853/reports-postal-service-will-move-to-halt-saturday-
mail)). I don't think that includes packages though, which is all I care
about. One less day of junk mail is fine with me. Although I guess that just
means more crap on Monday.

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jacalata
They also don't deliver most junk mail, and the private companies that do
deliver junk mail will stop pretty much entirely if you write on your mailbox
'no junk mail'.

