Amazon customers can now collect their parcels from Post Office branches after the online retail giant signed up to Royal Mail’s Local Collect service.
The deal gives Amazon access to 10,500 local Post Office branches, meaning shoppers can now pick up their goods from more than 16,000 locations in total.
The newly listed Royal Mail has struggled in recent years as online retailers like Amazon have used alternative delivery methods to reach customers.
Royal Mail recently warned that Amazon’s own delivery network would hit its parcel business growth and demanded “urgent” regulatory action to secure the future of its universal service mandate.
It said that Amazon’s own delivery service could dent its business by as much as 2% in the short term.
Customers opting to have parcels sent to a Post Office would have to pay a First Class delivery charge and present their ID at the branch to collect their parcel.
Christopher North, Amazon UK managing director, said the arrangement will make the process of ordering and collecting an item more convenient.
“Pick-up Locations have become the delivery method of choice for many shoppers. Offering the collection of packages from Post Offices is another great way of providing our customers with the highest levels of convenience.”
Amazon users can already use Pass My Parcel stores, Collect+ stores and Amazon Lockers to collect their orders.
It is expecting record Black Friday sales this week and said it is offering deals up to Christmas rather than just on Friday.
The shopping event, which traditionally follows the US Thanksgiving holiday, has grown in popularity since Amazon introduced it to the UK.