Postwoman Paula Kavanagh celebrates the new Postbox Drop-Off posting facility for small parcels
An Post has launched a new service allowing customers to send postage-paid small parcels through participating postboxes, including locations across every county.
The new Postbox Drop-off service went live today and is available through 2,600 An Post postboxes nationwide.
Customers can use the service by checking in their parcel through the An Post app, selecting a participating postbox and scanning the barcode on their prepaid tracked label before placing the parcel inside.
The service is aimed at small and lightweight items, including shopping returns, gifts and goods sold through online marketplaces.
Customer Rachel Cashel pictured at An Post’s new Postbox Drop-Off – a handy posting facility for small parcels at local postboxes.
Fergal Leamy, CEO of An Post, said the new service was designed to make the existing postbox network more useful for customers.
At An Post, we are focused on innovating for growth and continually finding new ways to make our network work harder for customers. Postbox Drop-off is a great example of that: combining the reach and convenience of 2,600 postboxes across Ireland with our digital technology to create a faster, simpler way to send and return parcels.
E-commerce is changing how people shop and send, and we want An Post to be at the forefront of that change. By reimagining an iconic part of our national infrastructure for the digital age, we can make life easier for customers while creating new opportunities for growth,” he said.
Participating postboxes in both urban and rural areas will be identified through the An Post app.
An Post says many parcels sent using print-at-home postage labels are small enough to fit into the new service, including accessories, books, single garments and other compact items.
The maximum dimensions for Postbox Drop-off parcels are 240mm x 45mm, although An Post notes that some older postboxes may be slightly smaller.
Customers are being asked not to leave parcels on or beside a postbox. Only items that have been correctly checked in through the An Post app and placed inside the postbox will be accepted at collection.
If a parcel does not fit easily into a postbox, customers should bring it to a Post Office or PostPoint agent instead.
Customers without access to a printer can also visit a Post Office or PostPoint to have Click & Post or marketplace labels printed and receive a proof of posting receipt.
An Post has also announced that it will begin a major refurbishment programme for postboxes across the country in 2027, with the company highlighting their importance to local history and heritage.
How the service works
Customers using Postbox Drop-off should:
- Print and attach the assigned An Post label.
- Open the An Post app and select Postbox Drop-off.
- Find and select a participating postbox.
- Scan the barcode on the prepaid tracked label.
- Check that the parcel details have been registered.
- Place the parcel inside the postbox and confirm the drop-off.
- Track the parcel through the An Post app.
A proof of posting receipt will also be stored in the app.
More information and a step-by-step video guide are available at anpost.
