Hermes UK has won a 4-year contract extension with Next and will continue to handle deliveries forthe retail company until 2022.
Hermes has been Next’s partner since the launch of the company’s mail order operation NEXTDirectory in 1988. The value of the contract renewal and the parcel volumes involved were notdisclosed. In its last business year ending January 2013, Next’s distance retail division NextDirectory saw revenues rise 9.5 per cent to £1.2 billion (€1.4 billion).
As its partner, Hermes enables Next to offer its customers delivery solutions including theorder before 10pm for next day delivery service. This service, introduced in 2000 together withNext’s online services, was a premiere in UK home shopping.
Carole Woodhead, CEO of Hermes UK said: “By extending this contract until 2022, Next hasshown a high level of confidence in our ability to continue to provide an industry leading,multi-channel solution with a range of flexible and affordable delivery options. The strength ofour partnership will continue to ensure that Next remains the standard bearer in the UK homedelivery market through our future innovation and continued investment in the right technology andpeople.”
After customers make their next-day home shopping orders, consignments are picked and packeddaily in Next’s distribution centres and are then delivered overnight into the Hermes regionaldepot network. From there, orders are distributed to households across the UK.
