Unmanned Parcel Locker 'Smilebox' Usage at Hospitals Increases by 470%, While Universities See a Decline
[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] Amid the spread of non-face-to-face consumption culture due to the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), the use of unmanned parcel lockers for receiving delivery items at hospitals has significantly increased.
On the 17th, eBay Korea analyzed usage data of the unmanned parcel locker service 'SmileBox' and found that from the 2nd to the 15th, the usage rate of SmileBox installed in hospitals increased by approximately 470% compared to the same period last year.
This is attributed to the increase in online orders due to COVID-19, with a particular preference for contactless receipt in hospitals where strict hygiene management is essential. On the other hand, the usage rate of SmileBox installed in university areas decreased by 80% compared to the same period last year due to the postponement of the semester start.
Launched in September 2016, SmileBox is currently installed in 72 hospitals and universities in Seoul and the metropolitan area. Representative locations include Gangnam Severance Hospital, Sinchon Severance Hospital, and Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital.
As consumers continue to increasingly choose online shopping malls over offline stores, the use of SmileBox is expected to grow further.
According to Statistics Korea, in January when the first COVID-19 case was confirmed, the transaction amount for online shopping goods excluding service sales was 9.1675 trillion KRW, accounting for 23.2% of total retail sales (39.5778 trillion KRW). This is the highest proportion since online shopping statistics began to be compiled, meaning more than one out of every five consumption transactions occurred online.
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Kim Kyungho, O2O Product Manager at eBay Korea, said, “Recently, SmileBox, optimized for contactless delivery, has received positive responses from both purchasing customers and delivery personnel,” adding, “Customers can receive and return products purchased from Gmarket, Auction, and G9 24 hours a day without risk of loss, and delivery personnel can reduce travel routes and perform more efficient deliveries as they do not need to deliver individually to each doorstep.”
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