This year, the company will deliver until Tuesday, December 23, with package collection possible in certain cases even on Christmas Eve. Thanks to a network of nearly 9,000 collection points and strengthened capacity, the company is prepared to handle the expected double-digit increase in shipment volume compared to last year's record season.
"For a package to make it under your Christmas tree, timely submission is key. If an e-shop hands over a shipment to us on Monday, December 22, we will deliver more than 96% of such shipments by the following day, December 23, directly to the recipient's address or to one of our PPL Shops or Boxes," says Petr Horák, CEO of PPL CZ.
Shipping Capacity and Extensive Network are Prepared for the Season
PPL enters the key period of the year with 2,000 drivers and 1,500 employees. The collection network, which the company expanded this year and currently comprises nearly 9,000 locations, is also prepared for the rush.
"Recipients can currently use more than 4,600 PPL Shops, over 2,200 PPL Boxes, and about 2,000 AlzaBoxes for picking up gifts. Throughout the year, we have increased the number of collection points to improve delivery flexibility and increase the availability of space for shipments. At the same time, we do not plan to open our boxes to other carriers during the pre-Christmas period. We want to be sure that there will be enough free capacity primarily for our recipients during the busiest period, and that their packages will be delivered exactly where they expect them," explains Petr Horák. "Thanks to our extensive network, honest preparation throughout the year, and the dedication of all our employees, we are excellently prepared for the season. We can even quickly onboard new e-shops so they can reliably and smoothly deliver shipments to their customers even during peak demand," Horák adds.
Given the anticipated increase in shipment volume, PPL is changing the rules for storing shipments in PPL Shops for the first time this year. Shipments will now be stored in partner brick-and-mortar stores for a maximum of 4 calendar days during the period of increased demand, instead of the current 7 calendar days.
"In previous years, some of our business partners' establishments were not only filled to the ceiling, but we were sometimes forced to redirect shipments to other collection points due to capacity reasons. We want to prevent exactly that this Christmas. At the same time, we know from our data that this change will realistically affect only a few percent of recipients, as the vast majority pick up their shipments within four days of storage," Horák clarifies. The existing rules apply to PPL Parcelboxes: up to 72 hours, and for third-party boxes: up to 48 hours from receiving the notification.
Czechs Prefer Pick-up Lockers
Czechs have long preferred delivery to a parcel boxes aka pick-up lockers, and their popularity has grown in recent years. This type of delivery is now preferred by 4 out of 10 shoppers, and their share is increasing year-on-year. Conversely, the number of people who have orders delivered to their home address is decreasing year-on-year. PPL is adapting to this demand not only by increasing the number of boxes but also by strategically placing them to be accessible even in smaller towns and municipalities throughout the Czech Republic, within a 10-minute walk or drive for most residents. However, PPL always places the boxes with respect for the surrounding area, residents, recipients, technical infrastructure, and the history of the location.
"Flexibility and adaptability have always been a given for us, which is why we introduced another practical improvement this year. We implemented the 'Favorite Pick-up Point' function, which allows recipients in the mojePPL application to pre-set a pick-up point where we will store the shipment if they are not at the chosen address at the time of delivery. This option is available near the original delivery address. This way, the recipient can pick up their shipment at the location and time that suits them best," concludes Petr Horák, CEO of PPL CZ.
Last Christmas Broke Records
During this year's pre-Christmas period, PPL anticipates that the volume of processed shipments will significantly exceed last year's figures and will record a year-on-year increase of up to double digits. The company handles the largest number of shipments annually during Black Friday and in the period just before Christmas. "During the Black Friday period, we expect the volume of shipments to increase by up to half compared to normal operations. However, mainly thanks to the dedication of our employees, we handle these hectic periods with ease every year. I firmly believe that this will be the case this year as well. Thanks to all the measures we have implemented before the Christmas peak, we can confidently say that we are prepared for the upcoming period," adds Horák.
Last year, PPL experienced a record-breaking end of the year. Its network reached its highest volume during December. The largest number of recorded shipments in the network for a single day occurred in the second week of December, but PPL approached the record several times during the peak season as early as November. In 2024, the company also managed to surpass the milestone of 60 million shipments, with successful next-business-day delivery in the vast majority of cases.
What might be of interest
