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More and more shops are turning into small delivery points, especially in major cities.
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Courier firms pay them between 30 and 50 cents for every package they handle.
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According to the Spanish Confederation of Commerce, a business can earn around 300 euros a month from this model.
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At the Torres hardware store, they view this as an incentive that boosts customer traffic.
That changed when Alberto Torres failed to catch a courier on foot during the pandemic. He recalls: “We’ve only been selling masks since opening this store, which has a 60-year history. We offer up to 16 colors, and masks have become popular for group activities like congregations and baptisms.”
The gate to the Angel quarter, home to the Torres hardware store, frames Alberto as he sits behind the wooden counter. “Good morning, what can I help you with?” he asks with a bright greeting. The shop has become a hub of activity, with a diverse flow of customers and stories from the neighborhood.
Alberto has already retired, but he stays involved to help his daughter Rosana and granddaughter Alejandro. Helping runs in the family, and it shows in how people react to the shop and its offerings.
Neighbors stop by to say hello and ask about family members, travel plans, or school updates. When a neighbor’s dog collapses, Alberto reaches for a jar of candy and hands one over. The owners smile back and promise to return tomorrow. After decades in business, he has learned how to build lasting loyalty.
a liter of milk
About two months ago, during shortages at supermarkets, Alberto’s son gave a liter of milk to a neighbor. The family keeps busy in the back of the shop, while customers browse the shelves. “There’s always something to do here,” Alberto notes, as his son attends to tasks behind the counter.
Boxes and delivery notes lie scattered, and it sometimes feels like a Mary Poppins bag where anything can appear from the shelves. Entering the store reveals dozens of light bulbs, small appliances, and hundreds of boxes of various sizes. Some packages spill onto the floor when they are too large to fit on shelves.
Maria, a long-time neighbor who had never visited the store, arrives with a code that Alejandro reads with a scanner. The staff fetches the package, and Maria exclaims at the speed and convenience of the service. She notes that some items arrive unexpectedly fast, with deliveries in just 24 hours and pickup available at the hardware store nearby.
— You know where we are for what you want, she adds with a smile.
Knowing Alberto, it is no surprise that four years ago the store began accepting packages for delivery points. The model has spread to major Spanish cities and grown during the pandemic. Workers from DHL, Seur, UPS, and Celeritas rely on small local shops as delivery and pickup points when residents are not at home to accept a package.
The courier companies pay the retailer a small fee per package processed, providing extra support that helps nearby SMEs withstand competition from large chains and retain customers who otherwise would shop online away from home.
“We estimate that a business can earn about 300 euros from this concept. It isn’t a sole income, but it provides meaningful extra help,” notes the Spanish Trade Confederation.
“Economically, it’s more advantageous for shops to act as both delivery and pickup points because they can charge higher fees than platforms,” explains another industry source.
“Staying in this business isn’t always easy, but the delivery point acts as a kind of encouragement,” confirms Alberto, who named the Montera street hardware store as the last of his four ventures.
According to Alejandro, deliveries can reach about 20 packages a day, especially during peak periods like Christmas or Black Friday.
“As a pickup point, we’ve earned excellent reviews on Google, a high score that reflects the service,” says the trio, whose smiles never fade. Rosa jokes that she is often glorious, except on one difficult morning.
Most parcels arrive in the morning, and customers tend to visit in the afternoon, turning the encounter into an opportunity to sell other items. Rosana notes that this arrangement helps increase customer flow.
“It also gives us the chance to showcase our expertise in lighting. We offer a broad range of products—from masks to small appliances and beyond—throughout Spain at prices that attract customers,” Alejandro explains.
Recently, products such as the DGT-approved V16 roof markings and Duracell AA batteries have become popular, with prices as low as 2.99 euros.
“We stock everything we receive in bundles—from clothing to televisions—and even handle car tires. Torres also acts as a transit storage hub for deliveries,” the family adds. When a package arrives and no one is home, the store holds it for the courier without a formal service contract.
“The commission is small, not even 50 cents per package, but it helps promote the neighborhood’s shops,” says an Ambassadors stationery store owner who also offers the same service. A local tobacconist on Paseo de Extremadura notes that his package deliveries are driven by a sense of community service rather than profit alone.
Beyond the financial benefit, the main advantage of serving as a delivery point is that it brings more potential customers to nearby businesses by increasing foot traffic and giving courier companies visibility among previously unknown shoppers. The Confederation of Commerce notes that cooperation with couriers can boost local business networks.
From the collective perspective, more than 1,000 businesses joined a network of proximity stores covering a broad range of industries in the first four months, creating ties across both urban and rural areas.