November 20, 2012
David Sharaz
Canberra’s first 24-hour post office
Canberra’s first 24 hour post office opens. Australia Post Regional Manager, NSW/ACT, Stephen Price, walks past rows of post office boxes in Civic on the corner of Moore and Alinga streets. Photo: Graham Tidy
The drudgery of lining up at the post office has become a thing of the past with Canberra’s first $1.5 million Australia Post superstore opening on Monday.
The refurbished 30-year-old store is located on the corner of Moore and Alinga Streets in the city.
Ten million Australians now prefer to shop online, forcing retailers to reinvent themselves and, with them, the 200-year-old postal service.
David Jones and Myer are among the latest chains to enter online sales, joining a rapidly expanding marketplace.
”Seventy per cent of our parcels that get sent through the postal network at the moment are generated from a computer, from an online transaction. If that’s where consumers are going these days, Australia Post needs to adapt to that,” Australia Post ACT/NSW retail manager Stephen Price said. Complete with iPads, digital boxes, and self-service kiosks, the consumer has been saved the hassle of waiting in line.
”Certainly a lot quicker, saved a lot of time, and it was simple to use,” customer Andy Hodgson said about the kiosks.
Vending machines have been replenished with stamps and parcels allowing the time-poor to send Christmas gifts late into the night, with many working longer hours.
But a nice addition to the local post office has to be the integration of technology, specifically iPads.
”It’s a real link to the core post services; you can look up a postcode, book an appointment for a passport interview, access the yellow and white pages, register for Australia post digital box, and that can all be done here in store,” Mr Price said.
By pre-registering for free, customers have 24/7 access to their goods.
”When your parcel arrives, because you’ve registered we know what your mobile number is, and we send you a text.
”When that text message arrives, your parcel has already been placed into the 24/7 area and you’re given a code to a digital locker.”
With many working Monday to Friday, the self-service kiosks are ideal for those wanting to spend their weekend running errands.
So why is online shopping so appealing? Mr Price believes he knows the answer.
”The things that are most appealing on the digital economy are the choice and convenience.”
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