DPD Germany has opened the country’s first ever DPD Store in Berlin, helping to make deliveries more sustainable and providing a convenient collection point where shoppers can examine and even try on their purchases.
Any returns can be processed in store and surplus cardboard boxes are given a new lease of life by being passed on free of charge. The shop also functions as a micro-depot from which parcels are delivered to the neighborhood by electric cargo bike. Initially around 300 parcels per day will be delivered emission-free to customers.
Eric Malitzke, CEO of DPD Germany, said, “We have all come to appreciate the benefits of online shopping, but we also know the challenges – especially when it comes to taking delivery of parcels, returning goods and dealing with all the boxes and packaging, not to mention the delivery traffic in city centers. This is exactly where we come in with our DPD Store by creating a completely new brand and shopping experience. At the same time, we are offering an innovative future concept for sustainable mail order operations.”
Designed using wood and natural materials, the bright interior invites visitors to linger and enjoy a cup of fair-trade coffee or a selection of snacks at the DPD coffee bar. Changing rooms with large mirrors are also available for trying on items of clothing, while the design as a jungle or 3D infinity room provides a quirky backdrop for a selfie.
Returns are accepted on the spot directly by the DPD Store staff, as are used and re-usable boxes and packaging materials. These are given a second life at the ‘Verwert-Bar’ recycling point. In line with the principle of re-using instead of recycling, they are passed on free of charge to customers who want to send a parcel of their own. The required parcel label can also be conveniently created and printed out at the self-service terminal.
The DPD Store also operates a partnership with self-storage unit provider Storebox which offers online bookable storage spaces of varying sizes, either for a short period of time or permanently. Anyone can use the units to store items that take up too much space at home or are only needed on an occasional basis.