Zásilkovna, a Czech distribution point for e-shops, began competing with the Czech Post office this week by rolling out a package delivery service for individuals. Czechs currently use its network of 1,500 pick-up points around the country (often located in small shops and grocery stores) to pick up goods they buy on-line. They’ll now be able to send packages to friends, family and customers using that same network. The company intends to increase the size of its network to 3,000 locations by the end of the year, according to its owner Simona Kijonková, which is roughly the same number of post offices. Idnes.cz reports that the courier service PPL already offers a similar service through its network of 1,600 PPL Parcelshops, a number it intends to increase to 1,900 by the end of the year.
