Inventors hope parcel bin is a hit
Internet shoppers can have their parcels delivered to their home while they are out at work thanks to a new invention by four West Midlands entrepreneurs.
Internet shoppers can have their parcels delivered to their home while they are out at work thanks to a new invention by four West Midlands entrepreneurs.
Richard Gilbert, managing director of Excalibur Manufacturing Solutions in Bilston, came up with the concept of the IBin – a lockable and weather-proof parcel bin which can be fixed outside a person's home.
The idea took off when Mr Gilbert met Andrew Whitaker, owner of South Staffordshire-based Iqon Designs, and Jason Dabbs, managing director of Beaming Success, on Wolverhampton Science Park, at a networking event.
The trio have now been working with entrepreneur Paula Southall since February and all four have so far invested a total of £6,000.
The IBin has four bolt holes at the rear and four at the base to secure it to a door or floor. The idea is to offer convenience to internet shoppers via their special instructions given to couriers when they place orders online.
In the instructions, shoppers provide the courier with a four-digit code and the location of their IBin at their home.
When the courier delivers a parcel, they use the password to open the Ibin and the bottom of the lid, inside, will feature a unique code to note down as proof of delivery.
The resident can change the IBin's password after each delivery if they wish.
The IBins are available in two sizes, the larger one will hold a 12-bottle wine box and the smaller version would hold a six-bottle box.
Mr Whitaker said the product would help save shoppers holiday time from work. He added: "I think most people will find this really helpful. The problem with internet shopping is most companies are unable to provide you a specific time for delivery.
"It means someone could take a half-day or even a full day off work without pay to sit at home and wait some something very uninteresting – like the filter for a vacuum cleaner they have ordered for example.
"The beauty of this is that it is secure and it can hold on to the parcel until you return home."
Mr Whitaker added: "We have put £6,000 into the project so far and we will be pricing each of these at around £199.99.
"A rival company in the north tried selling a much uglier version of this for £350, but we think our product better suits people's homes." The Ibins are available in red, green or black. For information visit www.theibin.com
