What is PUDO (Pick-Up, Drop-Off) and How Does it Work?

It’s time to add another acronym to your ever-growing retail vocabulary: PUDO Pick Up Drop Off. Joining the likes of BOPIS (Buy Online, Pick-Up In-Store) and BOPIL® (Buy Online, Pick-up in Locker), PUDO is another parcel delivery option that creates convenience for both retailers and consumers. In this blog, we’ll explore what a pick up locker is and more importantly, how it works.

PUDO Defined

In its most simple terms, a PUDO point location is any area where consumers can pick up items or drop off returns, whether staffed or not. In reality, the term is most often used for smart lockers located in densely populated areas that are accessible to any consumer.

This distinction of lockers being open to all is significant, as most smart lockers are installed and owned by one party (such as a courier or a retailer). For example, retailers such as Lowe’s employ Parcel Pending by Quadient locker solutions, but only their shoppers have the convenience of retrieving or returning items with the lockers. A community-wide parcel locker network, on the other hand, is completely agnostic: accessible to any retailer, carrier, or consumer and often placed on public property (such as a parking lot or public transit hub) or within retail stores.

The Benefits of PUDO

There are myriad benefits specific to each target audience using these PUDO locker hubs. Retailers who install PUDO smart lockers within their stores report increased foot traffic and, more importantly, can see as much as 70% of customers go on to make incremental purchases¹. Online retailers (or e-tailers) can earn customer loyalty by offering more delivery options and embracing the concept of personalized logistics. Carriers recognize that centralized drop off locations can boost efficiency while lowering noise pollution, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. Customers easily pickup or return items when doing errands with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that their e-commerce parcels are safe and secure.

In 2015, PUDO CEO Frank Coccia founded his company based upon the benefits of a courier agnostic system. “PUDO puts the consumer in control of their parcel, where and when they want it,” he said while describing his service. “There are no missed deliveries due to the consumer not being home or even worse, the individual is home and did not hear the knock or doorbell or simply did not get out of the shower on time.”