Building a 0-to-1 Delivery Solution: How we created a new pickup option in Kazakhstan that now drives 50% of orders?
We created one of the first lockers for a marketplace in Kazakhstan from scratch. The main goal was to make fast and convenient delivery. As a result, more than 6,000 lockers are installed across the country (doubled since 2021), and up to 50% of customers choose this delivery option.
↓ problem:
As orders grew (10 millions orders monthly), we faced challenges:
Rising delivery costs due to fleet expansion and more staff
Increased customer dissatisfaction, with over 30% of negative feedback tied to delivery coordination, missed deliveries, and waiting for couriers
Higher return rates as customers missed couriers or couldn’t be reached
This prompted us to explore a more convenient, cost-effective, and sustainable delivery solution.
↓ in-depth interviews with customers and call analysis:
To solve the problem, I decided to listen to recent complaint calls, and NPS feedback, talk to buyers to find patterns or solutions that customers suggested with the team of UXR. Also I did some market research.
After all, we realized that we needed a 24/7 pickup point, located close to homes or workplaces. Couriers could deliver orders at night, avoiding traffic and dropping multiple packages at once. Customers could then pick them up on their way to or from work.
↓ task:
Create a new delivery and pickup experience for two segments: customers and couriers
↓ goals & success metrics:
• Improve the Customer Experience by getting high adoption rate of using Postomat, decreasing negative feedback by 80%
• Drive Business Growth (Increase average order values, boost gross merchandise volume (GMV)
↓ design phase:
Before sketching, I begin by researching apps that are either directly or indirectly similar to our concept.
After reviewing examples, the Product Owner and I worked together to develop the process. There were many options and approaches to consider, but I was able to put together a final version by using what I learned from other apps and considering the specific needs of ours.
Next, I had created a user flow for the both customer and courier experience in the app
Customer
Courier
↓ solution:
Then, I started sketching, there were a lot of challanges. For the customers, I aimed to clearly communicate the new features and highlight the benefits by comparing them to traditional delivery methods. I also included a quick link to the onboarding section, where I provide more details about what the parcel locker is and how to retrieve items from it.
The courier screens, on the other hand, were built from the ground up since we had been using third-party software before. Creating a new app with our design system was quite a challenge for me, as there were so many different scenarios we needed to address for couriers, all of which had to be reflected in the screens.
Onboarding
Loading the item by courier
Receiving the order by client
↓usability testing:
For the two segments, we conducted UX tests using a real device and provided test units for feedback. Customers were able to navigate it on their first try; everything felt intuitive to them, and they appreciated the convenience and speed of the service.
↓delivery
Since deploying the devices takes time, we decided to launch in cities with the highest order volumes first.
Seeing rapid growth, we quickly scaled up our operations while closely monitoring feedback from customers and couriers, working swiftly to resolve any technical issues. After a month of testing, we began to expand, and by the end of 2022, we installed over 2,500 lockers.
↓results
Our network now consists of 6 000 devices with a total of 300,000 lockers. We are supported by 23 courier services, employing around 300 couriers for deliveries.
For over 70% of Kaspi customers, the Postomat is within a convenient 400 meters.
Currently, 1 in 5 orders is picked up at a Kaspi Postomat.
Up to 50% of customers choose Postomat as delivery option.
↓reflections and learnings
✦ Collaboration is key. Working closely with the courier team and testing real-world scenarios helped us catch and address many unexpected challenges early on.
✦ In large projects, it's better to keep the team regularly updated on decisions and break deadlines into smaller phases. This approach helped me stay engaged and reduce stress about deadlines.
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