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28 Mar, 2012

As Online Shopping Surges, Australia Post Launches Digital MailBox, 30 Superstores

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26 March 2012 — In response to record numbers of Australians moving their lives online, Australia Post today announced a free Australia Post Digital MailBox for every Australian will be launched this year, in addition to opening 30 superstores across the country.

“The Australia Post Digital MailBox will allow businesses, government entities and customers to communicate through a secure online portal that can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, wherever they are,” said Australia Post Chairman, David Mortimer.

“Just as the traditional letterbox has been a vital part of people’s communications for the past 200 years, we think a personal digital mailbox for every Australian is the perfect complement to the letterbox in this online revolution,” said Mr Mortimer.

The 30 superstores are in direct response to the 10 million Australians now shopping online, which resulted in Australia Post delivering an extra three million parcels during Christmas last year.

The new superstores will have a 24-hour zone with vending machines, parcel lockers and self-service terminals, as well as a Harvey World Travel store, an American Express currency exchange outlet and a concierge to help customers

“With our parcel volumes growing a staggering 13 per cent since July last year due to online shopping, our superstores are where people’s physical lives will connect with their digital lives,” said Australia Post Managing Director and CEO, Ahmed Fahour.

The 24/7 zone will give customers around-the-clock access to post and collect parcels, pay for postage, purchase stamps and packaging products, pay bills and use an Australia Post ATM.

“With online shopping booming, Australians have told us they want to be able to collect their parcels at a time and place that suits them. Following successful parcel locker trials in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane we are now extending parcel lockers to a total of 10 sites, with plans for a national rollout to further expand this service.

“Customers have told us they don’t have time to wait in a queue so we’re also investing in self-service terminals in our superstores so customers can skip the queue and spend more time doing the things they enjoy,” said Mr Fahour.

Bridging the divide between physical and online shopping, the superstore will have Apple Macs, iPads and digital screens to allow customers to shop or research online, arrange their parcel delivery electronically and navigate key products and services.

To help small to medium businesses take advantage of the online shopping boom, Australia Post will open a further 16 dedicated Business Hubs around Australia by the end of June, in addition to the seven that are already open.

The second superstore opens tomorrow in Melbourne, following the flagship superstore opening in Brisbane late last year. The next superstores will be in Werribee and Collins Street West, Melbourne (VIC), Cairns and Capalaba (QLD), Queanbeyan, Shellharbour and North Sydney (NSW), Launceston (TAS) and West Perth (WA).

Australians can register for an Australia Post Digital MailBox at auspost.com.au/digital-post.