So, I ordered a Google Nexus 7 from a seller in the UK (not available in Germany). I really, really wanted to have that thing in my hands.
Unfortunately the guy used the Royal Mail and their daughter TNT for shipping, so no 'PackStation' for me.
Due to the totally useless tracking information I couldn't be at home, the thing was delivered to a nearby (just 200m!) shop. This shop opened at 10 and - due to summer holidays and reduced staff - closed at 15 again during that week. How braindead is this concept? Even a post office is more reliable and I've come to expect the PackStation service. The packet arrives as soon as possible (no 'customer not present' loops, no 'delivered to a neighbor' crap where I need to hunt that guy down and hope that he's home/available/opens the door, no trip to a weird shop (an antique furniture shop in my case), relying on their opening hours), I'll be notified instantly (SMS as soon as they close the door of that locker) and can pick it up whenever I want (like, drunk on a Sunday morning at 4 am - given I remember my PIN).
If you consider that these boxes are available ~everywhere~ in larger cities, you usually can schedule the delivery to a place that is on your way to work, home, the gym or near your favorite restaurant.
tl/dr:
The service is worlds apart from 'You can pick up your thing in a shop at this address'.
A locker system is a little like a store - a store that stocks everything [that fits in to the locker] has no warehousing costs and very little staffing overhead, that's accessible 24-7 52 weeks a year, that allows for pseudo-anonymous shopping.
The last miles are hugely costly and certainly within a city it seems a priori that the optimal method of delivery is to require me to shift my arse and pick the stuff up from a mile or two away.
