It is a service that has been offered by the Jamaica Postal Service since 2003, however since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Zip Mail has been steadily growing in popularity.
And with online shopping expected to surge this year, with lockdown restrictions discouraging people from buying in-stores, local entrepreneurs say it is one of the fastest ways to deliver goods while keeping costs low.
One local online store owner, Joy-Ann Johnson said that she relies almost exclusively on Zip Mail to get goods out to her customers.
Johnson, the operator of Mollianaire Access, explained that while there are many different courier services, Zip Mail’s low cost next day service is one that young entrepreneurs like herself find particularly attractive because it blends the best of both worlds – cost effective and efficient.
“Prior to starting up my business, I had never even heard of Zip Mail and I was using more expensive courier services, however I had to go to the post office and I learned about it and I almost instantly made the switch,” Johnson said noting that finding ways to stay price competitive was particularly important for her business.
Johnson isn’t the only one raving about Zip Mail, with an array of start-up businesses utilizing the services to deliver all sorts of items island-wide, including wigs, beauty products, pillows, sheet sets and everything in between.
A local wig maker, Deborah Anderson, told The Den, that having started her business back in 2015, she has been using the service noting that based on where she resides in Clarendon, a post office is all she really has access to.
“Me start off a make wig, and weh me live remote so, the post office, although people a seh dem out dated, is all me have access to, so a so me get my products out; so me earn mi bread,” said Anderson.
“Right now me all have post office box, cause people we all send me de hair and me make it inna wig and send back go give them,” added Anderson.
Public Relations officer at the Jamaica Post, Tanickea Bennett, confirmed to The Den that since the start of the pandemic their had been an uptick in the demand for the service.
“There has been a consistent growth in the demand for the service at all participating locations prior to the pandemic, which has only increased since the advent of COVID-19,” said Bennett.
According to Bennett, the Jamaica Post is continuously modernizing its range of products and services to meet the growing demands of customers, particularly as Jamaicans shift towards more digital platforms.
“We currently offer premium services such as Klick ‘N’ Ship Express, a shipping solution that is ideal for persons who shop online. This service is hassle-free, convenient, our rates are competitive and we offer 22 locations islandwide. Additionally, customers are able to expedite their shipments worldwide with the use of Fast Track and Express Mail Service (limited locations are available at this time for EMS), ” said Bennett.
Zip Mail is a local next business day courier service which is offered at select Jamaica Post locations islandwide.
The service was first introduced to the public in 2001 as a Local Priority Mail service, however, it was later rebranded as Zip Mail in 2003. The service offers four modalities – Post to Post, Post to Door, Door to Post and Door to Door.
