Irish postal operator An Post is to roll out the use of Delivery Boxes across the whole of the Republic of Ireland after a successful pilot of the idea.

Delivery Boxes are designed to tackle the problem of customers not being in when they have their goods delivered. Many people can’t have their online shopping delivered to them at work due to workplace policies on that front. They are rain proof and weather resistant and are able to take small to medium parcels as well as letters. They are generally mounted on the wall by the customer’s front door. Those wishing to have mail collected for delivery elsewhere or to send returns back to the company they bought them from, can leave them in the box for the postman to collect.

1500 Delivery Boxes have been installed across the south and east of Ireland and this has been well received and perceived a success by the national postal operator. The pilot began on the 22 September and An Post view this as being very successful. They were initially offered to businesses and homes in Wexford, Kildare, Carlow and Wicklow, with County Cork seeing them offered at the end of October.

An Post Public Affairs Manager Angus Laverty said, “We initially ordered 20,000 to be made and we’re happy with the response so far. They’re easily installed and seem to be particularly popular with families and individuals doing a lot of online shopping.”

The Delivery Box is priced at €69.99, which includes the box, access keys, unique barcode security, installation template and activation card.

Though a small country, this service answers many of the problems faced by online delivery companies across the world. If such boxes could be made available to rival operators as well, then the problem of someone not being home when the parcel is delivered could be rectified very quickly.