{"id":202,"date":"2009-05-04T17:39:18","date_gmt":"2009-05-04T21:39:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/?p=202"},"modified":"2009-05-04T17:39:18","modified_gmt":"2009-05-04T21:39:18","slug":"the-mysterious-ways-of-swedish-post-office","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/swedish\/the-mysterious-ways-of-swedish-post-office\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mysterious Ways of Swedish Post Office"},"content":{"rendered":"

People abroad are always very surprised when they hear me say things like, \u201cOh, I have to go to the gas station and pick up my package\u201d<\/em> or \u201cwe pick up our mail at the supermarket.\u201d<\/em>
\n\u201cWhat? Don\u2019t you have normal post offices over there?\u201d<\/em>, they ask.<\/p>\n

Well, as a matter of fact, we really don\u2019t.
\nPosten<\/a> (the Swedish Postal Service) decided to abandon normal post offices sometime in 2001. Since then, we’ve had “postal service points”, where we can send and pick up letters and packages. Those are for individual clients, such as you and me and can be found, yes, you guessed it, at gas stations, supermarkets and convenience stores.
\nThere is one main “post office” in our town, and while anybody can send stuff from there, in order to pick up your mail there, you need to be a business client. And they don\u2019t even call it a post office anymore \u2013 it\u2019s a “Postal Service Center”. Because the Post Office, as we know it in the US, or the UK, in Sweden is no more.<\/p>\n

I like the current system. You have to admit, it\u2019s very convenient. You go to buy milk and bread and can pick up that parcel your cousin in Chicago or Sundsvall<\/strong> sent to you. Just be sure to remember to take that little slip of paper (avi<\/strong>, it notifies you that there\u2019s something waiting for you at the \u201cpost office\u201d) you got in the mail with you. No paper \u2013 no package. And don’t forget your ID either, you may need to show it when signing for your package.<\/p>\n

We send and pick up mail at our local ICA<\/strong> supermarket. But not always. Express mail (but not EMS) ends up at a nearby gas station. That\u2019s why it\u2019s important to read the avi<\/strong> very carefully. It tells you where you need to go. And you will need to go, because unless your cousin in Chicago (or Sundsvall<\/strong>) used DHL to ship the package to you, chances are it will not be delivered to your door. In fact, at least in our town, anything larger than a C4 size envelope (big enough to stuff an A4 page in it) has to be picked up. Ordered a book from amazon? You\u2019ll hike to pick it up. Expecting a registered letter? You\u2019ll get on your bike and ride to the supermarket\/convenience store\/gas station with the avi<\/strong> in hand. I don\u2019t mind, our postal kiosk is very nearby. But it\u2019s not so convenient anymore if it\u2019s 10 below outside, or snowing, or raining, and you have quite a way to go.<\/p>\n

The problems also arise when a package goes missing. If you have a \u201cnormal\u201d post office, it\u2019s much easier to complain and find out what happened. If all you have is a \u201cpostal service point\u201d it\u2019s very hard to even locate a person, who can tell you how to file a claim. Simply because your average ICA<\/strong> employee working a postal desk shift has no clue himself.<\/p>\n

Luckily, most of the time, the system works amazingly well. Things get delivered, and things get sent. Except for EMS \u2013 the kids at our ICA<\/strong> still haven’t figured out what it is and how to deal with it.<\/p>\n