January 09, 2008

DHL and Walgreens Announce Partnership

Looks like DHL announced alliance with Walgreens today. The intent is to allow customers to ship packages by DHL from Walgreens stores.

DHL, Walgreens announce partnership -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

DHL, Walgreens announce partnership

By Doreen Hemlock | Sun-Sentinel.com
1:09 PM EST, January 9, 2008

Global delivery giant DHL, which runs its Americas operations from Plantation, on Wednesday announced an alliance with Walgreens, the largest U.S. drugstore chain, which will allow customers to ship packages by DHL from Walgreens stores.

The move offers a fast and easy way for DHL to expand its retail presence in the United States, boosting its reach to small- and mid-sized companies and individuals. Rivals already have strong retail networks: Fedex with Kinko's and UPS through UPS Stores.

DHL said it will begin rolling out its DHL kiosks at Walgreens photo counters in April, with launches first in Florida and Illinois. The company expects to have kiosks in roughly 6,500 Walgreens stores nationwide at the end of 2008, said Karen Jones, senior vice president for marketing in an interview.

Jones said DHL tested the kiosk concept in 153 Walgreens stores in Texas, Colorado and Kansas starting last summer and has had "phenomenal" results to date.

The move is not expected to add staff to the 1,500 people that DHL now directly employs in South Florida. Kiosks in Walgreens stores are to be operated by Walgreens staff, who are to receive special training, DHL executives said.

Posted by staff at January 9, 2008 01:45 PM