Technology developer Pitney Bowes has unveiled the findings of a new study highlighting key trends and behaviors in smart locker usage.
The study of 2,200 Americans conducted by Morning Consult for Pitney Bowes found millennials, urban dwellers and office workers showed strong preferences for smart lockers. With 53% of all respondents nervous their packages will get stolen from their doorstep and 30% willing to pay more for delivery to a locker, the results highlight growing demand for the smart locker as a secure, convenient, contactless alternative to doorstep delivery – particularly as workers head back to the office and are unable to receive deliveries at home.
Across all generations, the data proved millennials to be among the biggest advocates for smart lockers. One in three use or have used one, and three in four particularly like the security they provide; and 73% feel good about using one as it positively affects their carbon footprint, reducing emissions from multiple carrier journeys.
Urban dwellers also showed a preference for smart lockers, with one in four already using one. This group showed the highest levels of parcel safety concerns of all cohorts, with 73% wanting a more secure way for their packages to be delivered.
Concern about parcel security was revealed as a major influence on smart locker usage across the study, with one in two respondents nervous about packages being stolen from their doorsteps and 66% looking for a more secure way to receive their packages. The study found 49% of respondents do not like others to see the packages they order, rising to 57% of millennials.
While 48% of respondents who use smart lockers use them for everyday online orders, one in four uses them for more expensive orders. Contactless delivery was cited as a preference for 54% of respondents.
The study also highlights the opportunity for smart lockers in the new, hybrid business environment. One in five prefer to receive packages at the workplace than at home, rising to one in three for millennials, and 67% of office workers say they would use a locker to pick up more expensive online orders.
Kerry Caylor, vice president, SendTech Parcel and Locker Innovation, Pitney Bowes, said, “Our study reveals the popularity and flexibility of smart lockers for the convenient, secure pickup of online orders and business packages, as well as for other day-to-day applications like the collection and exchange of business items and equipment. As restrictions lift and organizations reopen their workplaces, fewer workers will be at home for deliveries. Smart lockers deliver a safe, touch-free experience which is efficient for organizations and enjoyable for users.”
The study follows the recent launch of Pitney Bowes’ ParcelPoint Smart Lockers.