Railway stations are becoming stations of the future. The aim is to sustainably improve the quality, capacity and stability of railway operations. But what does this have to do with eCommerce and Future Retail? Find out now how retailers can benefit from the new strategic vision for railway stations.

There is a lot to do at our railway stations. With more than 20 million guests at our stations every day, the stations often still cannot meet the standards for that. For decades, too little has been invested in the station infrastructure, meaning that its capacity and quality are often inadequate. (source)

DB InfraGO AG wants to develop these stations holistically into attractive stations of the future. These stations will become mobility hubs and calling cards for cities and communities. 

We design stations to be customer-oriented and efficient so that they become attractive places of well-being.

Simple goods delivery should be accessible to everyone

The needs of travelers and consumers alike are changing. From cheap and fast to efficient, convenient, and sustainable. “Box – Die Abholstation“ can solve the challenges of booming online retail, the parcel industry, and brick-and-mortar retail by intelligently networking mobility, logistics, and railway stations. 

Carrier-independent delivery traffic is bundled at central, highly frequented locations – the railway stations – on the last mile throughout Germany. “Box – Die Abholstation“ makes deliveries and returns easily and flexibly accessible. This is not only sustainable but also saves time, money, and nerves.

“Box – Die Abholstation“ is Deutsche Bahn’s Click&Collect service, which allows customers to easily pick up and return their shipments contactless at a parcel locker at the station. 

Whether orders come from online shops or stationary retail, the “Box – Die Abholstation“ service is available to every retailer and can be used conveniently and flexibly at local public transport stations. “Box – Die Abholstation“ is currently active at around 300 stations across Germany. 

The goal is to expand the service to 800 stations.

Deutsche Bahn is cooperating with Deutsche Post DHL (DP DHL) for the Click&Collect service. This enables the DHL parcel lockers to be opened up to third parties and their parcel service providers for the first time. It also enables DP DHL to realize a significant rollout of DHL lockers at railway stations and selected public transport locations.

With “Box – Die Abholstation“, Deutsche Bahn offers its customers a sustainable and convenient service for receiving and returning everyday shipments or services. This not only saves waiting time but also offers great flexibility.

For retailers: Easy to use in the online shop or stationary

You decide how you want to use “Box – Die Abholstation“. 

Your customers order either in your online shop or in your store. The parcel will be delivered to the selected locker by a parcel service provider of your choice or a store employee. “Box – Die Abholstation“ offers you two options for this:

1. Online booking portal.

With the online booking portal, you are immediately ready for use and can utilize the service independently of the operating system using a PC, smartphone, or tablet. No technical integration or IT customization is required for use. This option is particularly suitable for local retailers without an online shop.

2. Checkout integration.

Checkout integration uses technical interfaces (APIs) to enable the fully automated integration of lockers as shipping options in your existing eCommerce system. Choosing this option is especially beneficial for online shops and marketplace operators.

As a retailer, you benefit from the reach of the highly frequented locations, the Germany-wide network, and the flexibility to deliver via your own logistics or the shipping service provider of your choice.

“Box – Die Abholstation“ offers delivery at your customers’ desired location, regardless of the delivery company you selected. You have the option of working with a shipping service provider of your choice, or using your own logistics for shipping to the lockers.

You can also organize the time of delivery or collection flexibly. You are not tied to opening hours and have the flexibility to deliver your orders on any day of the year.

Thanks to the highly frequented public transport locations throughout Germany, you can optimally bundle your consignments and thus reduce the logistical effort. You do not have to select all “Box – Die Abholstation“ locations as possible delivery locations. You can decide for yourself whether to use the entire network or just individual locations.

You can offer your customers a Click&Collect service at central locations without having to have the staff or a location on site. You can also use the lockers to pre-deposit goods for collection after ordering without delivery times or for the logistics of spare parts and installation technology. Concepts such as Ship-From-Store or Store 2 Locker can also be completed this way.

“Box – Die Abholstation“ offers a sustainable and efficient solution for the logistical last mile. By delivering to a parcel locker, additional journeys due to customers’ absence can be avoided, and orders can be logistically bundled to reduce delivery traffic on the roads.

How the service works for end customers

When placing an order in the online shop or at one of our partners’ stores, customers can select their desired “Box – Die Abholstation“ location as a delivery option.

The order is then deposited at the locker either by an authorized delivery agent or by the retailer themselves. The delivery can be carried out independently of a shipping company. Because shipments can be deposited for collection in different ways, there are many ways to use it.

Once items have been successfully deposited in ”Box – Die Abholstation“, they can be collected contactless and at any time. Registration is not necessary. The customer receives the collection code from the retailer as soon as the order has been deposited. This code is then scanned at the locker and the corresponding compartment is opened. Alternatively, the code can also be entered manually.

That’s it – it’s that simple!

If you are interested in the cooperation, do not hesitate to contact the sales team at “Box – Die Abholstation“. They will handle your inquiry promptly and get back to you. 

After technical activation, you can create a customer account and benefit from the Click&Collect service as well as the comprehensive network at highly frequented public transport locations.

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DB AG / Oliver Lang

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