E-commerce marketplace eBay and retailer Argos have signed a wider multi-year partnership covering nationwide click & collect and deliveries across the UK.
Under the partnership, eBay will for the first time roll-out a national parcel drop-off service, enabling eBay consumer sellers in the UK to drop-off their sold items at Argos stores nationwide. The service will commence with 150 stores before the end of 2015, with more stores to follow in the coming year.
Under the new service, items packaged and dropped off in Argos stores by consumer sellers will be despatched to eBay buyers. The drop-off and delivery service was successfully piloted earlier this year in ten Argos stores across four towns, and is both cheaper and more convenient* than comparable services.
Additionally, Argos and eBay have extended their ongoing commitment to their Click & Collect programme, an exclusive partnership which began as a small pilot in late 2013. Since inception the parties have helped customers collect more than three million parcels, from around 800 UK Argos stores, sold on behalf of 200,000 businesses selling on eBay.
Tanya Lawler, UK Vice President, eBay, said: “In 1995, eBay disrupted shopping by creating a commerce platform powered by customers. Our continued success is all about listening and responding to customers’ needs – and we know that they expect ever more convenience, choice and value. Our ambition with this deal is to grow and establish some of the most exciting and innovative fulfilment services in the UK. The eBay and Argos partnership further dissolves the lines between digital and traditional retail.”
David Robinson, Chief Operating Officer, Argos, said: “Argos invented click and collect in the UK, and recently added to its record of innovation by introducing FastTrack Collection and FastTrack Delivery – market leading fulfilment services for the online shopper. The ability for customers to get their purchases quickly, easily and locally has become the new retail battleground. With over 800 stores and a friendly face on every high street, we are ideally placed to attract eBay’s business and consumer customers to use our unique store network. This deal reaffirms and builds on the successful and deepening relationship between our businesses.”
Earlier this month Argos launched a nationwide same-day home delivery service under the name ‘Fast Track’ with four timeslots using its own staff and vehicles. The company claimed it was “revolutionising” online shopping by becoming the first retailer to offer same-day store collection and same-day home delivery for nearly 20,000 products across the UK. Argos offers a total of some 50,000 products online and at its 800 stores.
