SingPost to offer parcel service in MRT stations by January

If you cannot visit a post office to send a parcel, then just drop by an MRT station to do so. This option will be available by January 2023 when Singapore Post (SingPost) rolls out a facility called POPStop.

The Straits Times understands that the first facility will be at an MRT station in the Central Business District. More details on other locations and the number of POPStops will come later, said a SingPost representative.

The POPStop will be manned by SingPost staff, with packing materials available for added convenience for individuals and businesses.

SingPost said it is also looking to ensure that consumers can pick up deliveries from these service stations in the future.

Another service available at the station will be POPDrop, an automated machine that can be used for dropping off parcels at any time. The items can be tracked by both the sender and receiver via the SingPost mobile app.

The POPStop offering was unveiled on Wednesday by SingPost and Stellar Lifestyle - the business arm of SMRT Corp - at eCommerce Expo Asia, held at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre.

SingPost's chief executive for Singapore, Ms Neo Su Yin, said the establishment of POPStops supports the reduction in carbon footprint of parcel deliveries and will contribute towards the building of greener communities.

"Convenience and ease of doing business are essential in the e-commerce sector - for sellers to be able to drop off their packages easily and in a timely manner and for consumers to have that added option when it comes to their deliveries," said Ms Neo. "We want to offer a carbon efficient way of doing first-mile. This helps us to reduce the requirement of a driver picking up just one item from a customer."

E-commerce sales in Singapore are expected to reach US$14 billion (S$20 billion) by 2027, according to a report released by Facebook and management consultancy Bain & Company in September.

SingPost's latest offering will complement POPStation - an automated delivery locker system that lets customers receive parcels round the clock. POPStation has a network of over 150 locations throughout Singapore, including at least 100 that are open 24 hours.

In response to ST's queries, a SingPost spokesman said there is a high number of home-based sellers and a growing number of consumers who use return services within the e-commerce industry.

"These sellers and consumers are dependent on couriers coming to their doorsteps for collection which sometimes results in them making multiple trips due to failed attempts. POPStop... services sellers who have a small volume of parcels or packages, and reduces the need for a doorstep pick-up or repeated attempts since it is strategically located along commuter routes."

Mr Tony Heng, president of Stellar Lifestyle, said POPStop will offer "greater convenience and more services for our commuters, many of whom are already active users of e-commerce".

"With SingPost's POPStops, we are creating an agile and innovative ecosystem between our commuters and retailers, especially for small and medium enterprises."