Cultural: Paczkomat - one way we get our packages

In the states if you have an Amazon Prime membership, you get free shipping of your orders for the year. We didn’t used to have anything like that here until a year or so ago. Now we do. If we pay a certain amount, then the things we buy on our local auction site can be delivered to us at no additional cost if the seller is part of the program.

What we tend to use is something that we call a package delivery system - or a stationary box where we can go get our own packages. They have these units all over Poland and we have quite a few of them even in our little town.

What happens, is when we order the item, we say where we want it delivered. This is the method that is usually included as “no extra charge”. We could also use courier, but most of the time, unless the box is very large, that isn’t the free option.

Over time, I’ve learned to really appreciate having the package delivered to a free standing separate place where we can go and get it at our convenience.

I got word that I got a package in, so I went and got it. I thought I’d show you how it works.

I have an app on my phone with the company and they notified me via a message that I had a box waiting for me. that looked like this: What this is saying is that I have until Thursday, the 25th of June at 12:12 pm to go get it from the place where I chose. If I don’t get it by then, it will be returned to the sender.

So, we went to the store where this whole bank of boxes is located - about a mile and a half from our house.

Once we drove up close to the place, if you use the app on your smart phone, you can just click on the red spot shown above and it means “open the box remotely” and you don’t have to do anything else. If you are close enough, it will register that you are close enough, ask you if you are ready to go get the package and when you say “yes”, the door where your box is, will open automatically. It’s like magic.

Once you get your package, close the door and leave. The InPost people will be back later and put another box in for another customer.

It’s all tied in with your smart phone’s phone number.

If you don’t want to use the remote button on your app, you can type in your phone number and the code they have sent you via text messaging and the door will open. It would typically take me about 40 seconds or so when I had to do that…all depending on how sensitive the touch keypad is. Using the app and the cell phone to retrieve it remotely is faster, however.

And, of course if we do it that way, we don’t have to touch anything! That’s a big plus in this day and age!

I had a hard time getting a photo without a lot of shadow and glare, so this is the best I could do to get up close to the instructions. Not that most of you can understand it anyway. This would be where I would type in the info or scan a QR code with the info needed for opening the door.

I only wanted to show you this because I think this is a great system.

Our other options for delivery of packages are the regular post office (which most of us don’t trust to get things in a timely manner) or courier, which is fine, but you have to be at home, and kind of waiting for them - whereas with this, you get a text once your package is there…and you have 2 days to get it. No waiting around to make sure you are home for the delivery person.

Apparently we are not the only ones who think this is a good system, either. These little units are springing up all over Poland and we now have one that is even closer to our house. Lately, when I’ve been ordering fabric, this is how I’ve been getting my orders.

Oh…are you wondering what in the world I got? Well, you will laugh, but when I sit here at my computer, sometimes my feet get cold - so I ordered this - Hey… our last child just finished college debt free—it’s time to get some of these kinds of things “for me!” :)

So…here’s my question for you - do any of you reading this blog have anything like this where you are so that you can retrieve packages at your convenience and not have them left on a doorstep or with a neighbor?

This is just one of those things I thought might be interesting to you!

Have a great day wherever you are reading this!

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Be sure to check out what my sis has for you in the store!

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