If you walked through densely populated areas in the cities a decade ago compared to today, you'd notice a significant difference. Today, within a five-minute walk, you're likely to encounter a parcel locker where once stood a telephone booth. The disappearance of phone booths, particularly accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, has paved the way for parcel lockers. In the Czech Republic alone, there are currently around 7,000 lockers, a number that's expected to grow. But what fuels the demand for these lockers, and why are they so widely embraced?

The answer lies in a combination of factors. Firstly, consumers value flexibility, and parcel lockers offer precisely that. With 24/7 accessibility, customers can retrieve their parcels at their convenience, regardless of store hours. According to Alza, the largest e-commerce platform in the Czech Republic, approximately 70% of customers prefer AlzaBox for delivery. Additionally, customers prioritize fast and cost-effective delivery, benefits that parcel lockers provide both consumers and businesses. PPL, another major carrier with its own locker network, says that delivering parcels to lockers is cheaper, faster, and more environmentally friendly than home delivery. Furthermore, lockers enable e-commerce businesses to reduce packaging, an increasingly critical factor. In essence, parcel lockers offer a win-win solution for both consumers and businesses, and it appears that they will be the go-to delivery way in the coming years.