Posti’s estimate is based on the lessons learnt during the COVID-19 spring and research on the increase in Finns’ online shopping. For instance, a recent study suggests that Black Friday as a shopping day will be 1.5 times more popular than last year. To prepare for the record peak season, Posti has taken several actions, including significantly expanding its pick-up point network and investing in safe home deliveries, which are expected to increase due to COVID-19.

“We predict that the coming shopping days and Christmas shopping will take place online even more than before. If our forecasts are correct, we will deliver almost 1.5 million weekly parcels during the peak season and, at most, almost two million parcels a week. In the current situation, many customers want to avoid busy stores and order shopping directly to their homes instead. Our Doorstep service has been extremely popular, and I believe that the demand will increase, especially if the COVID-19 situation gets worse,” says Tommi Kässi, Vice President, Parcel and eCommerce at Posti.

An extensive pick-up point network and weekend deliveries will make for a smoother record peak season

The pick-up point network plays a key role in ensuring smooth parcel traffic during peak volumes. Posti has approximately 850 outlets that provide personal service and, by the end of the year, 2,200 parcel lockers favored by consumers. For the peak season, Posti is setting up an additional temporary network corresponding to the capacity of 200 pick-up points all round Finland. This year, customers can order their shopping directly to temporary pick-up points, too, and that is, in fact, recommended.

“We have increased our pick-up point capacity by more than 30 percent this year. We are doing everything in our power so that as many people as possible receive their parcels at the location they have chosen. Unfortunately, if parcel lockers are full, some parcels will have to be redirected to the second nearest available pick-up point instead of the nearest one. This means the recipient will receive their parcel faster. We hope that parcels are picked up as soon as possible from the notice of arrival to free up space for other parcels,” says Kässi.

Posti is hiring approximately 2,500 employees for the Christmas season throughout Finland. Throughout the season, Posti will also be delivering items for pick-up on weekends to make parcel traffic smoother. Seven-day parcel delivery covers almost half of the entire population.

Source: Posti Group