What Is PUDO? How Pick-Up/Drop-Off Networks Cut Failed Deliveries
TL;DR
- PUDO stands for pick-up/drop-off, and it means a parcel goes to a local shop or locker for the customer to collect.
- Pick-up points include staffed parcel shops in local businesses and self-service lockers in places such as supermarkets, stations and petrol forecourts.
- One stop at a pick-up point can replace several doorstep attempts, which cuts failed deliveries and repeat trips for the carrier.
- The same points handle returns and drop-offs, so one network serves both outbound parcels and the returns that follow them.
- Carriers need good location coverage, live capacity data and clear customer updates to run a pick-up network that customers trust.
Plenty of UK parcels never reach a front door. They go to a corner shop, a supermarket locker or a Post Office counter.
Out of home delivery is now mainstream. More than 115 million UK retail parcels were delivered or returned via lockers in a year, says InPost and Retail Economics. About two in five UK adults used one.
This guide explains what PUDO means and how it works. It also shows how carriers build networks that cut failed deliveries.
What Is PUDO?
PUDO stands for pick-up/drop-off. It’s a delivery option where a parcel goes to a local shop or locker, and the customer collects it later. The same point also takes parcels for return or sending, so it works in both directions for shoppers and sellers.
It’s one form of out-of-home delivery, which covers any delivery to a place other than the customer’s address. Lockers, parcel shops, click and collect counters and post office counters all count.
For carriers, one stop at a point can serve many customers. That is why networks keep growing.
How PUDO Delivery Works
Follow one parcel, and you see the whole process. It takes five steps from checkout to collection.
Customer picks a pick up/drop off point at checkout
The shopper chooses a point from a map or list at checkout. They see opening hours, distance and sometimes a live capacity flag. Choosing early matters, because the carrier plans its routes around that choice.
A good checkout shows only points that are open and have space.
The carrier sorts and routes the parcel to that point
The parcel enters the carrier’s network and gets sorted by delivery point. It travels with other parcels bound for the same area. One van can then serve a whole cluster of shops and lockers, which is far less work than dozens of separate doorsteps.
Point or locker confirms arrival.
At the point, staff or the locker scans the parcel in. That scan tells the carrier the parcel has arrived and starts the holding clock. At a shop, staff store it safely. At a locker, the system assigns a compartment and records it.
Customer gets a code or notification.
The customer receives a message with a QR code or collection code. Many carriers send reminders as the holding period runs down. Clear wording helps here. Shoppers should see where the point is, when it opens and what ID they need.
Customer collects, or the parcel returns after the holding period
The customer scans the code or shows ID and takes the parcel. If they don’t collect in time, the parcel goes back to the sender. InPost, for example, gives three days at its lockers, while Post Office Local Collect gives seven days at the branch.
Types of PUDO Points
Not every point works the same way. This table compares the four main types.
| Type | Examples | Staffed or not | Opening hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parcel shops | Evri ParcelShops, DPD Pickup shops | Staffed | Shop hours, often including weekends | Collections with ID, plus returns and drop-offs with help |
| Lockers | InPost lockers, Evri lockers, Amazon lockers | Not staffed | Often open 24/7, depending on the site | Quick self-service collection and returns |
| Click and collect counters | Store counters in supermarkets and retailers | Staffed | Store hours | A retailer’s own orders |
| Post office counters | Post Office branches | Staffed | Branch hours | Collections and returns in towns and villages |
PUDO Networks in the UK
The UK has several large networks. InPost runs lockers in supermarkets, retail parks, transport hubs and residential areas, and says it has reached 15,000 UK lockers. Evri has more than 11,000 ParcelShops and lockers and aims for 25,000 by 2030, according to its own press release.
DPD Pickup mixes local shops, supermarkets and lockers. Royal Mail and the Post Office add counters in towns and villages. Collect+ and Amazon lockers give shoppers more choice.
Some points are shared, so one shop or locker bank can serve more than one carrier.
How PUDO Networks Cut Failed Deliveries
Every failed doorstep attempt wastes a stop, and the cost of failed deliveries adds up fast. Parcel pickup points give carriers a way to avoid many of those misses.
One Stop Replaces Many Doorstep Attempts
A van that visits one pick-up point serves every customer whose parcel is there. It makes one stop, not ten doorstep calls. Customers collect on their own time, so nobody needs to be home at 2 pm on a Tuesday. That saves time for the driver and the customer.
No Need for the Customer to Be Home
Many failed deliveries come down to nobody answering the door. A pick-up point removes that problem. The customer chooses the place and the time, and the parcel waits in a safe spot. It also helps people in flats or shared houses where doorstep delivery is awkward.
Higher Drop Density per Route
Each stop at a point can serve many parcels. Routes become denser because the van visits fewer addresses and covers more parcels per stop. That saves miles and driver time. It can also ease deliveries in busy streets where parking is hard.
Easier Returns and Drop-Offs
The same points take returns. A customer can drop a return at a shop or locker without waiting for a courier. The carrier collects it on its next visit. Fewer failed deliveries also help the return-to-origin rate, since fewer parcels go back to the sender.
Benefits of PUDO for Carriers, Retailers and Shoppers
Each group gains something different. For retailers, pick-up points also fit into omnichannel fulfilment, where one stock pool serves stores, online orders and collection.
| Group | Main benefits |
|---|---|
| Carriers | Fewer failed deliveries, fewer repeat trips, denser routes and lower cost per parcel on busy routes |
| Retailers | A popular checkout choice, fewer where-is-my-parcel contacts and easier returns |
| Shoppers | Collection at a time that suits them, no waiting in, secure self-service lockers and simple returns |
Challenges of Running a PUDO Network
A network is only as good as its weakest point. These five problems come up most often.
Point capacity and overflow
Small shops and lockers have limited space. On busy days, they fill up and refuse parcels. Carriers need live capacity data and an overflow plan, such as a nearby alternative point, so customers aren’t sent to a full location. Peak weeks make this much worse.
Coverage gaps in rural areas
Points cluster where people shop, so villages and remote areas can be left out. Carriers may need to partner with village shops, post offices or community lockers. Without them, rural customers still get doorstep attempts and the same failed deliveries.
Uncollected parcels and holding periods
Parcels that nobody collects clog shelves and lockers, then travel back to the sender. Short holding periods free space but annoy customers. Long ones do the reverse. Most carriers set a fixed window, send reminders and track the share of parcels that go back.
Partner onboarding and payments
Each shop needs training, equipment and a fair fee. Staff turnover means the training never ends. Late or unclear payments can push partners to drop out. Carriers need simple onboarding, a short guide for shop staff and a payment process that runs on time.
Keeping customers informed
Customers need to know where the parcel is, when it’s ready and how long they have. Missed messages cause uncollected parcels and angry calls. Clear updates at each step help carriers reduce WISMO calls and raise the collection rate. Send a reminder before the holding period ends.
How Carriers Build and Run a PUDO Network
Most carriers grow a network in five steps. Each one builds on the last.
Map demand and choose locations.
Start with where your parcels go. Plot delivery addresses and failed attempts on a map, then find clusters that lack a nearby point. Choose sites near homes, workplaces, stations and supermarkets, with easy parking and long opening hours. A good location draws regular footfall.
Sign up partner shops and place lockers.
Approach convenience stores, supermarkets and petrol stations for staffed points. Agree on fees, opening hours and storage space. For lockers, find hosts with space, power and good access. Some carriers build their own lockers. Others join shared locker networks to grow faster.
Connect points to routing and tracking.
Each point should appear in your routing, tracking and customer messages. Scan events at the point update the parcel status. Routing then plans one stop per point, with a time window that suits the shop. Without this link, staff and customers end up chasing parcels by phone.
Offer PUDO at checkout and in delivery updates.
Show pick-up points at checkout and again in the “we missed you” message. Some customers pick a point after a failed attempt. Let them switch in one tap. Offer the nearest open points first, and show live opening hours so they don’t walk to a closed shop.
Monitor capacity, dwell time and collection rates
Watch each point weekly. Track how full it is, how long parcels wait and how many are collected. Points that are always full need more space or a neighbour. Points with long dwell times may need better reminders. Drop or fix points that keep underperforming.
Key Metrics for PUDO Performance
Five numbers show whether the network works. Start with first-attempt delivery, since pick-up points should raise it.
| Metric | What it shows | How to calculate it |
|---|---|---|
| First-attempt delivery rate | How often the first visit completes the delivery | Deliveries completed first time divided by deliveries attempted |
| Collection rate | How many parcels customers pick up | Parcels collected divided by parcels delivered to points |
| Average dwell time | How long parcels wait at a point | Average days from arrival scan to collection |
| Point capacity use | How full points and lockers are | Parcels held divided by capacity, point by point |
| Return-to-sender rate | How many parcels go back unclaimed | Parcels returned divided by parcels delivered to points |
How Shipsy Supports PUDO and Locker Delivery
Shipsy’s software for postal and parcel carriers lists doorstep, pick-up point and locker delivery as options a carrier can run. The page also names point and locker expansion as a growth lever.
Micro-cluster routing groups stops into efficient patches, and guided loading helps depots load vans in the right order. Drivers capture ePOD at each stop. On the customer side, Shipsy’s last mile delivery tools give live tracking with SMS, WhatsApp and email alerts and predicted delivery windows.
For retailers, Shipsy’s retail logistics offering puts home, click and collect and locker delivery in one flow. It adds live tracking, predictive ETAs and geofenced ePOD.
Conclusion
Pick-up points and lockers are now a normal part of UK delivery. They cut failed attempts, give customers control and make routes denser. The hard part is running the network well, with good coverage, live capacity data and clear updates.
Start small, track the metrics and fix weak points fast. Shipsy helps carriers plan routes, track parcels and keep customers informed across doorstep, pick-up point and locker delivery.
To see how it would fit your network, book a demo with Shipsy.