You can have your parcels delivered to over 50,000 pick-up points in France

Nearly half of all people purchasing goods online in France have them sent to collection points, a new study has revealed. 

A small majority (54%) still prefer to deliver parcels directly to their home with the rest opting for them to be sent to a point relais (collection or relay point) where possible.

There are 50,000 of these online collection points across France, organised by various groups including La Poste, Relais Colis, Mondial Relay, UPS and DHL among others.

Many online retailers now give the option for purchasers to use this service which is highly rated by those who use relay it – 95% of people studied say they have had a positive experience using collection points.

Read more: Did you know? La Poste will pick up medicines from a pharmacy and deliver them to you

Why are these collection points becoming more popular?

Unlike deliveries directly to your home, having a parcel delivered to a collection point means there will always be someone available at the destination to collect it for you.

They will hold the package for you for a number of days meaning you can pick it up at a time convenient for you. 

This is especially useful for people who are at work during delivery hours (meaning they do not have to stay at home to receive the parcel) or otherwise cannot be available on the delivery date.

The parcels are generally delivered quickly as the collection points are integrated into delivery infrastructure. 

This is particularly advantageous for those who live in rural areas but can easily go themselves to a local point, whereas deliveries to their home may take longer.

Another key factor is price. It can be cheaper to deliver to a relay point than to choose home delivery, for example it can be around €4 cheaper to deliver a 2kg package to a collection point than to your home, a saving that can increase the heavier the parcel. 

Read more: How to track letter and parcel deliveries in France