GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 18, 2026

Urban Pickup Point Networks

When a parcel delivery fails because the recipient is unavailable, urban pickup point networks provide the alternative.

Quick Answer

Last updated: 18 June 2026Published: 19 June 2025

Source: https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-themes/urban/urban-logistics_en

Category

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Reading time

1 min

Words

104

Mentioned in

–

Definition & Explanation

When a parcel delivery fails because the recipient is unavailable, urban pickup point networks provide the alternative. These systems place collection facilities – parcel shops, supermarket counters, automated locker banks – across a city, allowing carriers to consolidate multiple shipments per stop and customers to collect at their convenience. For logistics operators, the key benefit is a higher stop density per route, which reduces last-mile costs and cuts failed-delivery rates. E-commerce retailers rely on such networks to manage high shipment volumes without scaling up door-to-door capacity proportionally. Compared to traditional home delivery, pickup networks also lower vehicle movements and emissions in congested urban areas.

Next steps

Tools that match this term

Compare IncotermsClarify duties, cost and riskOpen Calculate transit timeEstimate duration per transport modeOpen Find HS codeDetermine the tariff number for customsOpen Calculate customs valueWork out import duties and customs valueOpen

Related Terms

You might also be interested in these terms

pickup service

Pickup service removes the need for senders to transport their consignment to a depot or drop-off point: the carrier or parcel pro…

Learn more

Purchase Order Management in Reefer Networks

Purchase order management in reefer networks differs from point-to-point shipments in that it coordinates multiple carriers, cold …

Learn more

Urban Pickup Assistants

Pickup services are decentralized collection points where customers retrieve or hand over packages, bypassing home delivery attemp…

Learn more

Access Point

An access point is a designated collection location within a carrier's parcel network where consignees pick up their shipments the…

Learn more

Urban Consolidation Centers (UCC)

An Urban Consolidation Center (UCC) sits at the city edge or urban fringe rather than deep within the road network, acting as the …

Learn more

Angular Freight Routes

Rather than direct point-to-point links, transport networks often follow a geometric pattern with defined transfer points and stan…

Learn more

⚖️ ICC Incoterms 2020

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Analyze all 11 Incoterms 2020: cost matrix, risk timeline, insurance gap detector and customs responsibility – free, no login required.

Incoterms Simulator →

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Weekly: Top news, industry facts and insights from the world of logistics – free.

Urban Pickup Point Networks

Next steps

Related Terms

pickup service

Purchase Order Management in Reefer Networks

Urban Pickup Assistants

Access Point

Urban Consolidation Centers (UCC)

Angular Freight Routes

Incoterms 2020 Simulator: Who bears costs & risk?

Logistics knowledge straight to your inbox

Community Questions & Answers