Lowe's installing pickup lockers nationwide
Lowe's announced that it plans to install pickup lockers at all U.S. stores by the end of March 2021.
The move is designed to improve the contactless delivery experience for customers who are increasingly shopping online, the retailer said.
The addition of buy online, pickup in store self-service lockers at more than 1,700 stores will eliminate checkout time for customers and allow them direct access to pick up their orders and get in and out of the store faster.
The secure, entirely digital experience relies on electronic technology in the lockers that generates a scannable barcode when an order is ready for pickup. Lowe's plans to have the innovative lockers installed in most major metro markets by Thanksgiving and in time for the holiday shopping season.
"Our No. 1 priority is making sure we are keeping things safe for our associates and customers while continuing to provide additional options to make it even easier to shop with us," said Joe McFarland, Lowe's executive vice president of stores. "With more than 60% of online orders picked up in our stores, this gives our customers one more option and the added convenience and flexibility to control how and when they get that order.”
“This is a significant step in our relentless efforts to create a fast and frictionless shopping experience for today's time-pressed customers,” McFarland added.
Lowe's customers can now quickly collect their online orders from self-service lockers near the front of stores in locations including Charlotte, Philadelphia, and the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.
After a Lowe's associate stages an online order, the customer receives an automated email notification with a one-time user barcode. The customer then completes the pickup by scanning the barcode at the locker using their smartphone without having to wait in line, receive assistance from a store associate, or contact a touchscreen or keypad.
Lowe’s pointed to a recent study by McKinsey & Company that found that 60% percent of U.S. consumers who said they are using buy online, pickup In store plan to continue using the service even after the pandemic subsides.
Parcel Pending by Quadient, a provider of package management solutions, is providing the retail locker solution for Lowe's, whose U.S. rollout will expand to Florida, Washington, and Texas among other states in the coming weeks.
"It's an honor to be named Lowe's exclusive locker partner," stated Lori A. Torres, CEO and founder of Parcel Pending. "Our combined commitment to customer experience makes our buy online, pickup in locker solution a perfect fit for Lowe's. We're confident that their customers will enjoy being able to safely and securely retrieve their items at their convenience.