Out of Home Delivery: A Competitive Edge for eCommerce
7 May 2025
Online shopping in the UK is booming once again, up 3.2% year-on-year in September 2024 (IMRG). With more parcels flying around than ever, it’s time to ask: does delivery work for the way we live now?
Not always. And not for everyone.
That’s where Out of Home (OOH) delivery comes in. It’s a more flexible and greener way to get parcels into customers’ hands, on their terms, not the courier’s.
What Is Out of Home (OHH) Delivery?
Think lockers, not letterboxes.
Instead of every package going to a doorstep, OOH delivery uses secure parcel lockers and local pickup points. Customers grab their parcels when it suits them — no missed deliveries, no “sorry we missed you” cards, and no soggy boxes left in the rain.
It is delivery redesigned for real life — school runs, late shifts, gym stops, grocery shops.
Why People Love It
We’ve all been there: stuck at home waiting for a parcel. Or worse — discovering it’s been “left in a safe place” (translation: under a bush).
OOH delivery gives customers back control. And the stats speak for themselves:
- 71% of Gen Z and 68% of Millennials have used parcel lockers for online shopping — citing convenience, speed, and cost.
- 84.2% of shoppers say lockers are a greener solution than home delivery.
- Over 50% of UK consumers now use delivery lockers.
- 1 in 5 have had a parcel go missing from their doorstep.
Source: Delivery lockers: unlocking the final mile, May 2024
Where Can You Collect?
📦 Parcel Lockers
You’ve seen them — outside supermarkets, petrol stations, gyms. Open 24/7, lightning-fast, and fully contactless. Scan a code, grab your parcel, done.
🛍️ Local Stores
Prefer a friendly face? Pickup points at local shops offer extended hours and extra convenience — great for customers and a win for local businesses too.
Why It’s Catching On
OOH delivery is more than a nice-to-have. It’s solving problems home delivery can’t. Here's why it’s scaling fast:
Urban Living
Cities are crowded. Traffic is intense. Parking’s a nightmare. Centralised pickup points ease pressure on last-mile delivery and fit urban lifestyles.
Digital-First Habits
Customers want a seamless, app-powered experience. OOH delivery delivers — with real-time notifications, label-free returns (all you need is a QR code), and parcel management all through a handy app.
Sustainability
Fewer vans on the road = lower emissions. Delivering 50 parcels to one locker is much cleaner than making 50 individual stops. In fact, last-mile CO2 emissions can drop by up to two-thirds with lockers.
Source: Retail Technology Innovation Hub, 2024
Why It Works for Retailers
OOH delivery isn’t just good for customers — it’s great for business.
- Excellent customer experience: InPost has an industry-leading Trustpilot score, citing convenience and ease of use as the key reasons customers love InPost.
- Advanced security: InPost lockers, for example, have built-in CCTV to support retailers with dodgy claims.
- Reduced fraudulent returns: Label-free returns helped Footasylum lower fraudulent returns claims and decrease the value of the claims.
It’s not just a logistics upgrade. It’s a CX win, a security play, and a fraud fighter.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t a blip. It’s a shift.
OOH delivery is becoming a must-have for millions of shoppers who want speed, flexibility, and control — without compromise. Retailers who get ahead of this trend will be better positioned to meet customer expectations and scale sustainably.
If delivery is one of the final steps in the customer journey, why not make it unforgettable?
