Kinek Removing Mighty Barriers in U.S.-Canada Ecommerce

SAINT JOHN, New Brunswick, Nov 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kinek today announces that its 25 cross-border pickup locations – called "KinekPoints" – now span nearly all major checkpoints across the U.S./Canada border, opening Canadian shoppers and ecommerce sites in the U.S. to a new world of online trade. With more border locations to follow, the rapidly-growing KinekPoint network particularly benefits Canada-based small businesses that can forgo thousands of dollars in brokerage fees on bulk purchases.

Up until now, Canadians making purchases from online retail sites in the U.S. were either subjected to high international shipping and brokerage fees or cut off from making purchases altogether (many sites in the U.S. do not ship to Canada). KinekPoint border locations enable Canadians to receive packages at a personal U.S. shipping address and benefit from lower U.S. prices, greater product selection and 30 days free storage. For small businesses, using Kinek can improve profitability by saving on supplies, and add value to customers by offering them a far wider selection of items.

"The ridiculously high cost of international shipping, and the fact that so many e-commerce companies won't even ship to Canada, has long left Canada's consumers and business owners at a disadvantage," said Kerry McLellan, CEO, Kinek. "By offering a secure and convenient way to get everything their U.S. neighbors have access to, KinekPoints open a world of international commerce to Canada residents."

KinekPoints give customers a more convenient and secure way to receive packages by allowing them to pick up at more than 1,000 retail outlets across North America, instead of having packages shipped to their residences, where they're often missed or left in unsecure locations. Kinek's vetting and quality control processes ensure that each location offers flexible hours, ample storage space, and a secure and convenient environment to receive packages, giving customers the assurance and peace of mind missing from previous cross-border alternatives.

By shipping to a KinekPoint, customers can track their package from the moment it is ordered through the Kinek site or iPhone app, and they will also receive an email, text message, and/or iPhone push notification as soon as the package arrives. Because Kinek is e-tailer and courier agnostic, customers can order from any website, retail outlet or individual in the world and have their package sent to any KinekPoint of their choice.

"My KinekPoint is literally minutes from the border, and has allowed me to save tremendously on shipping costs and customs handling fees," said Kinek customer Whitney from Kingston, Ontario. "Shipping to a KinekPoint also lets me purchase items that were unavailable to me in Canada, often at greatly reduced prices."

Kinek also offers a tremendous advantage to U.S. businesses, many of which have previously missed out on the Canadian market. Now U.S. companies have a viable option for delivering products to more than 15 million Canadians living adjacent to the Canada/U.S. border.

For more information please visit www.kinek.com.

About Kinek

Kinek is a nationwide delivery network of trusted businesses, known as KinekPoints, that receive and store packages which have been ordered online or offline by consumers. Through a simple online sign-up process, Kinek allows customers to find their nearest KinekPoint delivery location and notifies them via email or text message when their packages have arrived. Kinek, which is e-tail and courier agnostic continues to build its network of over 1,000 KinekPoint locations throughout North America. Partners enjoy Kinek's creative value-added services, while users appreciate its ease of use, security and convenience. For more information please visit www.kinek.com.

SOURCE Kinek