Irish parcels carrier Nightline has partnered with Britain’s CollectPlus to offer a new returnservice for Irish online shoppers ordering from UK retailers as it expects a 50% increase in parcel
volumes in the run-up to Christmas.Leveraging its new parcel terminal network Parcel Motel launched last year, the Nightline Groupwill be offering Irish citizens an easy and convenient way to return unwanted items back to UKretailers by dropping them off at their nearest Parcel Motel locker. Littlewoodsireland.ie, whichis part of Shop Direct and has a UK-based fulfilment operation, is the first Irish retailer tooffer this service to its customers from this month.
After registering on the Parcel Motel website, Littlewoodsireland.ie customers can book a lockerslot and attach the CollectPlus label to their package, which is provided when their item isshipped to them. With over 100 locker locations throughout the country, Parcel Motel will transferthe parcels to CollectPlus in the UK for delivery back to the Littlewoodsireland.ie returns centre.Customers will receive a returns code and will be able to track the journey of their item on theCollectPlus website.
Neil Ashworth, CEO of CollectPlus, said: “Our partnership with Parcel Motel allows UK retailerswith operations in the Republic of Ireland the ability to offer their customers a great way toreturn goods simply and easily. It requires no extra effort on the retailer’s part as theCollectPlus label that they ordinarily provide in the outbound parcel can be used by the customerto return their unwanted items. This new international returns service is something that we intendto offer to all our UK clients who trade in the Irish Republic as it is flexible enough toaccommodate any returns strategy.”
John Tuohy, Nightline Group CEO, said: “The handling of returns is an essential part of thee-commerce process. Previously, though, consumers will have had to take items to their local postoffice. However, this new system is simpler and, if anything, makes the business of buying onlineeven easier than before. I’m confident that it will prove enormously popular – not only withexisting Parcel Motel subscribers but also with those shoppers who really value convenience.”
In line with the fast-growing number of online shoppers in Ireland, Nightline Group expects todeliver up to 1.3 million items in the last fortnight of the peak holiday period which would beatthe last year’s record with an anticipated parcel volume increase of 50%.
Group CEO John Tuohy noted that the start of the peak season was ‘noticeably slower than lastyear although still rather busy’. “It appears that people have become so accustomed to e-commerceand so confident about the prospects of receiving their purchases in time for Christmas that theyare leaving their shopping later than before.”
He highlighted the growing demand for Parcel Motel as an alternative to home delivery as ‘getting goods is no longer just a matter of waiting at home’.
Launched in July 2012, Parcel Motel locker terminals are already present in every one of the 26counties in the Irish Republic. By the end of next year, Tuohy expects 400 terminals to beoperating nationwide.
To prepare for the expected growth in pre-Christmas volumes, Nightline opened a third Dublindepot near the city’s airport and moved to a larger site in Galway. The 5,017 sqm depot in Oranmoreis the biggest parcel facility in the west of Ireland, Tuohy claimed. He added that another depothad been acquired in Athlone, Midlands Region, to become operational next year.
