British grocer Asda has reworked its delivery service to allow customers to collect and return parcels from third party retailers instore. The retailer believes that the new scheme will boost footfall following recent competition from discount supermarkets.
The supermarket‘s new parcel collection and return service called ToYou will be available to Asda customers in all of its 614 stores across the UK.
ToYou will offer real time and individual parcel tracking for customers and will allow third party brands to use the service. On arrival, parcels will be available for collection at a kiosk or self-service point in the Asda store. Fashion etailer Missguided was the first to sign up to the service, as Asda claims it is in the process of closing deals with other retailers also.
This collect and return offer will be the first of its kind in the grocery sector and will give Asda a platform to compete with its rivals.
“Demand for online shopping is ever increasing, with it grows the appetite from online retailers to have physical footprints their customers can access,” said Ian Stansfield, Vice President of Asda Logistics Services and Supply Chain. “Not only are we providing online retailers with a presence on the high street we‘re also bridging a gap for customers who want to collect or return their online orders while carrying out their weekly shop.
“This is an industry first: complete, real time, individual parcel tracking – whether collect or return, every step of a parcels journey is tracked and visible to our clients and customers. This truly is game-changing.”
Asda believes that its new offering will encourage 40m extra customer visits each year by 2019.
