For those managing an e-commerce business or recurring shipping flows, shipping with InPost means working with a different model compared to traditional couriers. With InPost, we see fewer home deliveries and more automated pickup points, available 24/7 and integrated with marketplaces and C2C platforms.
Understanding what InPost is, how InPost works and how to connect it to a rules engine like SEND2U is essential to take full advantage of its benefits in terms of costs, failed deliveries and operational flexibility.
What InPost is and how it works
InPost is a logistics operator specialized in delivery to automated pickup points, the so-called Parcel Lockers, and to a network of affiliated pickup points. The lockers are automated cabinets, always accessible, from which it is possible to ship, collect and often even return parcels in self-service mode, using a screen or a mobile app.
The sender generates the label or QR code, takes the parcel to a locker or an InPost Point and places it in the assigned compartment. The system tracks it along the route, up to the locker or pickup point chosen by the recipient, or up to home delivery where available. The recipient receives notifications via SMS, email or app with the code or QR needed to open the compartment and complete the InPost parcel delivery independently, 24 hours a day.
For an e-commerce business, integrating InPost means adding a flexible pickup option, often cheaper and with a much lower failed-delivery rate compared to door-to-door. For this to work without burdening internal operations, however, it is essential that the label–drop-off–tracking flow be managed in an integrated way by an integrated tracking service.
How to ship with InPost: label, drop-off and tracking events
From an operational standpoint, how to ship with InPost comes down to three main steps: creating the label or shipping code, dropping off the parcel at the locker, and managing the tracking until pickup.
Label creation can be done from the InPost portal, the app or through integrations. In many countries, it is possible to use “labelless” modes, where the user generates a QR code to show at the locker or pickup point, which prints or attaches the label automatically.
The second step is the drop-off: the sender, or the courier appointed by the merchant, places the parcel in the compartment, which is then closed and digitally linked to the shipment.
From that point on, the sender can follow everything through the InPost app or a dedicated portal, but in an e-commerce environment with multiple carriers it quickly becomes unmanageable to log into different systems for every shipment.
Managing shipments with Hubrise means you no longer have to wonder where to look for tracking and carrier information, while the end customer can receive consistent updates regardless of the carrier selected by SEND2U.
InPost rates: size, weight/volumetric weight, destination, and recurring surcharges
To use InPost, you need to understand how the InPost rates work. The basic logic is based on two elements: parcel size and destination, with a maximum weight limit per parcel. In Italy, for example, InPost uses three standard sizes, S, M, and L, each with defined maximum dimensions and all with a maximum weight of up to 25 kg, covering most of the needs of small- and medium-sized e-commerce businesses.
The dimensions determine the pricing tier: the larger the parcel, the higher the cost, assuming the same origin and destination. The destination mainly affects the distinction between domestic and cross-border shipments, where network logistics come into play. The InPost rates may include recurring surcharges for additional services or specific conditions such as home delivery instead of locker delivery, insurance, priority delivery options, or extra charges in case the declared dimensions are incorrect.
In a context of multi-carrier shipping, this information must be converted into structured rules that a system like SEND2U can use to decide when to ship with InPost and when to use other carriers. For example, for certain size ranges and urban destinations, InPost may consistently be more cost-effective, while for other combinations a traditional courier might be more suitable.
By integrating the information into SEND2U, the comparison is no longer carried out manually but automatically, order by order, taking into account size, weight, destination, and service levels.
InPost parcel delivery: timelines, pickup options and reduction of failed deliveries
One of the most evident advantages of InPost parcel delivery is its impact on failed deliveries. The locker model drastically reduces failed deliveries because the parcel does not depend on the recipient being at home within a specific time window: it is placed in a compartment and remains available for pickup, generally for 48 hours or more, depending on the market and the service.
Delivery times depend on the routes and the selected service, but for many domestic connections the goal is to match standard e-commerce expectations, with delivery to the locker in one or a few business days. The recipient receives notifications when the parcel arrives in the compartment and can open it using a code, a QR code, or an app, often with the option to use their smartphone for a fully contactless unlock.
In a system like Hubrise, delivery and pickup events flow into the Shipments section and into Tracking, which makes it possible to comparatively analyze performance indicators between InPost and other carriers.