MAIL and shipping services company Mailpac Services yesterday announced that it has opened five new locations under the brand Mailpac Express, bringing its branch network to a total of eight stores, including its flagship stores in Montego Bay and Kingston.

Mailpac says that these five new locations are the first phase of their islandwide expansion which will see the company operating 12 locations by May 2011.

The company says the new stores — located in New Kingston, Portmore, Eastwood Park, UTech, and Savanna-la-Mar — will significantly boost ability to serve a growing client base and their online shopping needs. Additionally, customers can now access services from recently acquired Airpak Express.

Mailpac now boasts that it is the dominant provider of online shopping services in Jamaica, with seven out of every 10 online purchases brought to Jamaica entrusted to the company, according to company executive Mark Gonzales.

Gonzales believes the company’s position in the Jamaican market is attributabed to continued commitment to developing solutions that make online shopping easier.

“As the only provider with our online tracking systems, three weekly shipments, vast payment options, our pre-alert system, 100 per cent insurance coverage, islandwide delivery capabilities and our first-class customer service team, we have continued to bring a superior level of service to the market. We believe that these new locations are another step in that direction,” said Gonzales in a press statement issued yesterday.

“The reality is that the Internet is now the most affordable way to source items. In addition to the significant savings it offers, there is no larger selection of inventory in the world. Therefore, we are committed to sharing this amazing resource of online shopping with every single Jamaican no matter where they reside,” he added.

Mailpac Express also offers its clients a broad array of local and international shipping solutions, through Airpak Express, Swoop Courier Service, TNT, and UPS, the world’s largest courier company.

“The locations will serve as a drop off and pick up location for individuals looking to send or receive a package. The offering is directly in line with our goal of becoming Jamaica’s first ‘one-stop-shop’ logistics provider,” explained Gonzales.

In additional to its shipping solutions, some Mailpac Express locations will host the payment services of its sister company EPay Group. This will include pre-paid online shopping credit cards, bill payment, mobile talk-time sales and stored value card top-ups. EPay, which recently launched its payment platform in the Total gas stations chain, is a market leader in developing and providing transaction solutions in the region.