Glossary
Parcel locker terms, in plain words
A parcel locker is a bank of lockable compartments where couriers leave parcels for people to collect later. A smart parcel locker adds software that assigns compartments, sends a pickup code and records each delivery. The terms below are the ones you will meet when comparing systems and reading a quote.
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- Carrier-agnostic
- A locker that accepts parcels from any carrier, not only one. StaticMile lockers take Canada Post, UPS, FedEx, Purolator, DHL and Amazon deliveries. Learn more →
- Click and collect
- A retail service where a customer orders ahead and collects the order themselves, here from a locker instead of a counter. Learn more →
- Compartment
- One lockable space behind one door. StaticMile compartments come in small, medium, large and oversize.
- Hold period
- How long a parcel may stay in a compartment before it is flagged as uncollected. Each building sets its own; some use 24 hours, others longer.
- Infrared parcel detection
- A sensor in each compartment that detects whether a parcel is inside.
- Last mile
- The final step of a delivery, from the local depot to the person receiving the parcel.
- Master Box
- The main unit of a StaticMile system. It holds the touchscreen, scanner and controller and has at least 16 doors. Every system has one. Learn more →
- Master Unlock
- A manual fail-safe that lets authorized staff open the lockers if the touchscreen is unavailable.
- Multifamily
- A residential building with many separate homes, such as an apartment or condo building. Learn more →
- Oversize compartment
- The largest compartment class, for bulky parcels that will not fit a standard door. Learn more →
- Package room
- A room where staff store delivered parcels until residents collect them. Learn more →
- Parcel locker
- A bank of lockable compartments where couriers leave parcels for recipients to collect later.
- Pickup code
- A one-time code sent by email or text message that opens the compartment holding the recipient's parcel. It can be typed in or scanned as a QR code.
- Secondary Box
- An add-on unit that adds at least 10 doors to a system. It is controlled by the Master Box and is not sold on its own. Learn more →
- Service and maintenance fee
- A recurring fee covering software, system maintenance, technical support and resident notifications. Learn more →
- Smart parcel locker
- A parcel locker run by software: it assigns compartments, notifies recipients, opens with a code and logs every deposit and pickup. Learn more →
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