The Czech online retailer Alza was operating 200 pick-up lockers around the country at the end of 2019, but it’s planning a massive expansion of this network. By the time the Christmas holidays come around at the end of the year, it should have 600 lockers to choose from. Use of these AlzaBoxes has risen 130 percent since the outbreak of coronavirus. Alza is using the same system in the countries it’s active in, with 300 boxes in Slovakia and another 100 in Hungary. New lockers are to be installed this year in the Czech towns of Teplice, Domazlice, Litvinov and Prostejov. Expansion director Jan Moudrik said some customers prefer the remote system of picking up products as it can be carried out without coming into contact with anyone or having to enter a store or shopping mall. In order to increase their presence around the country, it will let companies operate them on a franchise basis.
