The Infocomm Media Development Authority’s wholly-owned subsidiary Pick Network will be rolling out its first batch of up to 200 smart lockers by April this year.
These are slated to be placed in several estates, including West Coast, Toa Payoh, Pasir Ris and Tampines.
This rollout follows a successful trial that began in December 2018. Since last year, Pick Network has been collecting online feedback from residents by placing mock-up lockers with QR codes in HDB estates.
By the end of 2021, the government plans to roll out a nationwide network of 1,000 lockers by the end of 2021, which is a year earlier than the initial target of end-2022.
All the lockers will be deployed within a five-minute walk of HDB blocks.
The deployment dates were announced by Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information Sim Ann during the Ministry of Communications and Information’s budget debate yesterday (March 2).
How It Works
Pick Network will be integrated as a delivery option on mainstream e-commerce platforms such as Lazada, Shopee and Qoo10.
When checking out on the various platforms, online shoppers can select locker collection as the preferred delivery option and choose the nearest Pick locker location from its vast network.
Once the parcel has arrived in the locker, the customer will then receive a SMS to notify that it’s ready for collection. To collect the parcel, the customer will have to unlock the locker using a unique PIN number.
According to Sim Ann, 96 per cent of residents surveyed said the lockers would bring them convenience and that they would use the locker stations in their neighbourhood.
It is also part of efforts to ensure environmental sustainability in the logistics sector amid a rise in e-commerce.
“The parcel locker network is expected to reduce distance travelled for delivery by 44 per cent daily, and this will go a long way to reducing carbon emissions,” said Sim Ann.
Featured Image Credit: IMDA