The partners of the European project CityLog have teamed up to test a new delivery concept in Lyon: Bentobox. Bentobox is a flexible delivery solution for retailers located in downtown shopping centres that allows the delivery of parcels outside the regular working hours (for example during the night or early in the morning).
Bentobox is a simple solution: trolleys – or mobile containers – are loaded with merchandise for shopping malls in the depot by TNT. Then the trolleys are delivered to an automated parcel station within the shopping mall before or after opening hours. The driver inserts the trolleys into the dock station triggering an automated alert that notifies the customer of delivery by SMS or email.
Customers can then pick up their merchandise 24/7 at their convenience. The advantages? Fewer heavy weight vehicles in downtown areas during rush hour less pollution and noise in city centres and more flexibility for customers – all of which contribute to better logistics for shopping centres and delivery zones.
Bentobox was tested for 6 weeks at the Part Dieu shopping centre in central Lyon. TNT Express CityLog partner teamed up with major customer Vivarté Group to test Bentobox for Vivarté’s Kookaï store in a Lyon shopping centre.
Sources: Moving the world and CityLog
Link to original Article
http://www.ertico.com/citylog-tests-the-new-delivery-bentobox-concept-in-lyon/
Original Publication Date: Fri 03 Aug 2012
