Beat the Holiday Rush: Why Now Is the Time to Order Parcel Lockers

For most residential properties, November and December bring the busiest package season of the year. What fewer property teams plan for is the lead time it takes to actually be ready for it.

If you're considering parcel lockers for your apartment, condo, rental or student housing property, now is the time to start exploring your options. That means understanding what it would take to have a package management solution in place for the holiday season, or for the next one.

Why the Holiday Package Surge Is Different

Many properties feel a package spike in late summer and September, driven by move-ins and back-to-school shopping. For many properties, the holiday season is a bigger and longer test.

Carriers treat the period from roughly October into January as peak season. The heaviest weeks fall between Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas, and post-holiday sales and returns can keep volume elevated into the new year. In Canada, Deloitte's 2025 Holiday Retail Outlook found that Canadians expected to spend 42% of their holiday budgets online, and that one in five planned to start their holiday shopping in October.

Residents aren't just ordering for themselves. They're ordering gifts, hosting family, and shipping and receiving packages on a schedule that looks nothing like a typical week.

For a property still relying on manual mailroom processes, that means the most intense version of a familiar problem. Staff are overwhelmed, packages are stacked in every available corner, and residents grow more frustrated by the week. It all happens during a season when the resident experience is especially visible.

Why Parcel Locker Planning Has to Start Early

Parcel lockers aren't a shelf item. Accessa lockers are produced to order, so there's a real lead time between placing an order and having a working system installed at your property. That timeline includes planning, production, delivery and installation.

Accessa's current typical lead time is approximately 8–10 weeks, but timing varies by project and order timeline. Starting the conversation early gives property teams more flexibility to plan around their goals, property requirements and preferred installation timeline.

Planning also takes time on your side. You'll need to confirm the right location, check power and network access, and work out how couriers and residents will reach the lockers. The earlier you begin, the more opportunity you have to choose the right solution and build a realistic timeline for your property.

If your holiday timeline has already passed, planning ahead still puts you in a much better position for the next peak season.

What Holiday-Ready Package Management Looks Like

Properties that have parcel lockers in place before the holiday season are in a much stronger position once volume climbs:

• Less package handling for staff. Residents retrieve their own packages, so front-desk and leasing teams spend less time logging, storing and handing out deliveries during the busiest weeks of the year.
• Better package security. FedEx Express Canada has noted that package theft tends to rise during the holiday season, when more shoppers are ordering online. Secure, access-controlled lockers keep packages out of open lobbies, hallways and doorways until residents pick them up, which helps reduce the opportunity for theft.
• A better resident experience during a high-visibility season. The holidays are a busy, emotionally charged time. A smooth, reliable package experience leaves a much better impression than a chaotic one.
• One less fire to fight. Property teams already juggling holiday events, maintenance requests and staff time off don't have to add "mailroom overwhelm" to the list.

Lockers don't eliminate package work entirely. Someone still manages resident records and handles exceptions. What changes is the nature of the work: instead of handling every package, staff manage the system.

Make This Holiday Season Count, Even Without Lockers

If lockers won't be in place for this season, the holidays are still valuable. They're the best opportunity of the year to gather the information you'll need to size a system properly.

Track deliveries through the peak:

• Daily package counts.
• Rough package sizes.
• How long packages wait before pickup.
• Which carriers deliver to your property.

That data will make every later conversation with a vendor more productive. It will also show you what your property actually needs to handle its busiest weeks. For a deeper look at what to evaluate, see our guide, What Should You Consider When Choosing a Parcel Locker System?

The Takeaway: Start Early, Whatever Your Timeline

If parcel lockers are on your radar for this holiday season or for 2027 planning, there's a clear case for starting the conversation sooner rather than later.

For properties hoping to have a solution in place for the holidays, starting early gives you more flexibility around production, delivery and installation. If you're already looking ahead to 2027, starting now gives your team time to evaluate options well before the next holiday rush arrives.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should property managers start planning parcel lockers for the holiday season?

As early as possible. Accessa's parcel lockers are produced to order, and the overall timeline includes planning, production, delivery and installation. Starting early gives you more flexibility. Whichever vendor you're considering, ask for a realistic timeline based on your property.

How long does it take to get parcel lockers installed?

It depends on the system, the vendor and the property. Accessa's current typical lead time is approximately 8–10 weeks, but timing varies by project and order timeline. Site factors such as location, space, power and network access also affect the schedule. Ask for a property-specific timeline rather than relying on a general estimate.

Do parcel lockers prevent package theft?

No system removes every risk. Secure, access-controlled lockers keep packages out of open lobbies, hallways and doorways until residents retrieve them, which reduces the opportunity for theft. Where the lockers are placed, and how access to that area is controlled, also matter.

What can we do if parcel lockers won't be ready before the holidays?

Use the season to collect data: daily package counts, sizes, pickup times and carriers. That information will help you size a system for your next peak. In the meantime, clear communication with residents about pickup expectations and a defined overflow space can help reduce pressure on staff.