Colourful ‘Modular Mailbox’ reimagines the package locker

Klarna is developing a package locker that will evolve with shopping behaviours and brighten up any space

Spotted: As e-commerce continues to grow, package lockers have been popping up everywhere, offering an easy way to pick up and drop off online orders. However, unlike mailboxes that have been carefully designed, little thought has gone into how these lockers will fit into the landscape of cities.

Swedish payments platform Klarna has been working on a solution for this at its Future Shopping Lab, and have developed a new concept called the Modular Mailbox. This is the first project for the Future Shopping Lab, which was launched to explore future shopping experiences. The Modular Mailbox aims to transform the mailbox from a static object to a modular platform that supports circularity, new transactions and making life easier. 

Klarna’s version of the locker would involve large, colourful structures, designed to add colour and beauty to the landscape. The Modular Mailbox will also feature four core modules.

The in-and outbox allows customers to pick up and return packages that were purchased using Klarna. The recycling box that will collect hard-to-recycle materials and be picked up by delivery trucks, creating a more energy-efficient system. The 3D-printer box enables users to print small products and spare parts, to cut down on shipments and increase repairability of existing products. Lastly, the sharing box, an idea that has increased in popularity during the COVID-19 crisis, which will act as a place for neighbours to share books, clothes, or food with one another. 

Klarna hasn’t built prototypes of the Modular Mailbox, as it currently remains largely theoretical and still has many obstacles to overcome before becoming a reality — getting the right permits and licenses to set up these structures, for one. However, it points to the company’s goal of becoming more embedded in the consumer’s shopping experience.  

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