PUDO locations can be a huge asset to any online store that’s looking to save on delivery costs, prevent shipping issues and build upon their purchasing experience by offering more convenience and flexibility when it comes to shipping and delivery.
Read on for answers to the most common questions businesses have about PUDOs, including what they are, how they work, how much they cost and how PUDO deliveries and returns differ from a typical order management flow.
What is a PUDO?
PUDO refers to “Pick Up Drop Off.” Usually, the term is shortened to PUDO and followed by “point” or “location” (PUDO locations or PUDO points).
A PUDO location is a designated place for the collection of parcels and possible returns. Typically, PUDOs are available through a parcel locker system in public areas next to supermarkets, stores, gas stations and in any other place that experiences high traffic.
What is a PUDO return?
A PUDO return is a return that is processed through a PUDO system. This method of return management means that the customer needs to leave the items to be returned at a PUDO location (parcel locker), and the courier then delivers the parcel to the eCommerce store or warehouse.
The process is a bit different from a typical return flow in which the customer needs to go to a courier’s office and use it as a drop-off point where they can leave the package. Or, alternatively, when the online store sends a courier to pick up the items to be returned at the customer’s home. The package would then travel to the online store’s facilities from the office or the customer's home.
What is a PUDO delivery?
A PUDO delivery is the delivery of a parcel to a PUDO location. In the case of an online purchase, the items travel from the eCommerce physical store or warehouse to a PUDO point, where the customer collects the package from the designated PUDO locker.
In this way, the customer can receive the items at their convenience, saving possible costs and preventing some of the most common shipping issues — like the absence of the buyer at home or packages that go missing, get damaged or even get stolen.
How do you send a PUDO parcel?
To send a parcel through the PUDO system, an online store needs to have a contract with a shipping company that offers this service, such as DHL.
For the customer, it’s as simple as selecting the closest pickup point at checkout and going to collect the parcel once they’ve received an alert about its arrival.
What does PUDO cost?
PUDO services are typically less expensive than those shipments that go from a store or warehouse straight to homes. Why? Because with PUDO services, multiple parcels are normally dropped off at the same time and location, saving time and fuel and preventing shipping issues.
The specific cost of a PUDO delivery or PUDO return will depend on the level of urgency assigned to the shipment, the weight and dimensions of the package, the distance it has to travel and the courier company.
How do PUDO points work?
PUDO points, or parcel lockers, work in a very simple way. The sender deposits the package in the corresponding locker and the recipient picks it up after receiving a notification via email or SMS with the code to open the locker.
Conclusions
PUDO locations, and PUDO services more generally, help businesses reduce shipping costs and shipping issues — and since PUDO is a method that naturally saves time and resources, it ends up being more profitable for both the courier and the online store.
The benefits of PUDO points also have an amazing impact on customer satisfaction since they perfectly align with the latest eCommerce trends that focus on the importance of flexibility, convenience and free shipping (or low-cost shipping) for the buyer.
Now that you know the essentials about PUDO, make sure that the couriers you work with have this service available. And, in the meantime, you can connect your online store to Outvio to streamline your post-checkout operations and control everything that happens after the sale, from order fulfillment to shipping, tracking, returns, incident handling and customer communication.
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