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Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland
Christmas shoppers on Dublin's Grafton Street
# naughty or nice
An Post are trying to make Christmas shopping less painful this year
But the festive dig out comes at a price….
ONLINE SHOPPERS REJOICE: An Post have launched a ‘hi-tech’ parcel box designed to make Christmas bargain hunting easier.
The firm’s latest revenue booster comes in the form of a delivery box service which aims to put an end to the usual headaches which come with having a package delivered at home.
The wall-mounted box provides a secure place for those vital Christmas pressies, thanks to a bar code scanning system which sends the customer an email once the parcel has been delivered.
Best of all, there’s no need to sit at home waiting for the postman to turn up.
An Post spokesperson Angus Laverty claims the company’s latest project will ensure a happier festive season for customers.
“Shopping online has become very popular in recent years which means that many people are having parcels delivered to their homes,” he told TheJournal.ie.
“The parcel delivery box aims to solve an age old problem where people often have to take time off work or have their parcel delivered elsewhere in order to receive their package.”
When a customer receives a package they will immediately receive an email notifying them that their parcel has been delivered.The box has been designed with security in mind and the only people who will have access to the container are the postman and the customer themselves.
The box is not powered but includes a scannable barcode inside to confirm delivery.
However consumer rights groups have accused the government mail provider of Scrooge tactics over the €69.99 charge of the steel box.
Consumer Association of Ireland policy advisor Demott Jewell said: “If you look at how An Post has acted over the past 12 months, it is quite clear that their main objective is to bring in revenue by bleeding the customer dry.
“I think they are being mean in the run-up to Christmas and they risk losing their loyal customer base if they carry on with this type of behaviour.
But Mr Laverty dismissed allegations that the product spelled bad value for hard pressed post customers.
“I certainly wouldn’t say that the delivery box is bad value, especially given the technology and manpower used, he added.”
The mood from customers has been mixed with some taking to social media to praise the service while others questioned the viability of the company’s latest offering.
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The service has already been rolled out in the South East, Cork and parts of the capital with nationwide availability planned for the New Year.
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