What Is Out-of-Home Delivery? A Retailer’s Guide to Click and Collect, PUDO and Locker Networks
For years, delivery to the door was the gold standard of eCommerce convenience. But consumer habits are changing. More shoppers now actively choose to collect orders from a nearby location rather than wait at home for the doorbell to ring.
Out-of-Home (OOH) delivery gives customers the flexibility to pick up parcels from parcel shops, automated lockers and retail collection points at a time that suits them. For retailers, it opens the door to lower costs, fewer failed deliveries and a more sustainable supply chain. It is also becoming a critical part of the last mile delivery picture, offering an alternative to traditional doorstep fulfilment.
In this guide, we break down what Out-of-Home delivery means, explore the three main OOH models and explain how retailers can add these options to their checkout with minimal complexity. If you are looking for a managed Out-of-Home Delivery solution, GFS provides access to 75,000+ locations across the UK and internationally.
The Three Main Out-of-Home Delivery Models
There are three primary OOH delivery models, each with distinct advantages depending on your customer base and operational setup.
Why Retailers Are Adopting Out-of-Home Delivery
The business case for OOH delivery extends well beyond customer convenience. Here are the key reasons retailers are making the switch.
How OOH Delivery Simplifies Returns
Out-of-Home delivery networks are not just for outbound deliveries. PUDO points and locker networks also serve as convenient drop-off locations for returns, allowing customers to send items back without booking a courier or waiting for a collection slot. This self-service returns experience reduces friction for the customer and cuts returns management costs for the retailer. GFS Global Returns Pro provides access to 320,000+ global return locations across 35 languages, giving customers a seamless
The Sustainability Case for Out-of-Home Delivery
OOH delivery is inherently greener than door-to-door parcel handover. Consolidating dozens of individual home deliveries into a single stop at a PUDO point or locker significantly reduces vehicle mileage, emissions and urban congestion. InPost reports that their locker deliveries cut CO₂ emissions by as much as 97% compared to traditional doorstep services. For retailers with sustainable shipping commitments, adding OOH options to the checkout is one of the most impactful changes you can make.
How to Add Out-of-Home Delivery to Your Checkout
Integrating OOH delivery options does not require building relationships with dozens of individual locker and PUDO providers. With a managed multi-carrier delivery partner like GFS, retailers gain access to the UK’s widest network of collection points through a single integration. GFS Checkout uses intelligent shipping rules to present personalised delivery options at the checkout, including Click and Collect, PUDO points and locker locations, based on the customer’s address, order type and availability. New collection points are added automatically as carrier networks expand, so your checkout always reflects the latest options without any development work.
GFS provides access to 75,000+ Click and Collect and PUDO locations across the UK and internationally, covering all major locker and parcel shop networks through a single relationship. To find out how GFS can help you offer OOH delivery solutions to your customers, get in touch with our team today.
