CollectPlus network at 4500 shops – now a third the size of
the Post Office
CollectPlus Returns now serving over 100 retail brands
Click & CollectPlus delivery service key growth area for 2012
24 November 2011: CollectPlus’ impressive half year results have underscored its position as a viable alternative to the Royal Mail/Post Office’s parcel service. The innovative delivery and returns service has doubled its parcel volumes and is now handling over four million a year. The strong growth has been a result of powerful demand from online and multi-channel retailers for its returns and delivery services.
CollectPlus, which is available through selected stores within the national PayPoint network, has expanded its service offering by 20% in the past six months, taking it to a third of the size of the Post Office’s parcel delivery estate. Unlike the Post Office, however, the majority of shops offering CollectPlus are open seven days a week and for longer than traditional opening hours.
Mark Lewis, CEO of CollectPlus, says of the results:
“The last six months have been impressively strong for CollectPlus as more retailers and shoppers realise the convenience of our service. We are delighted to have over 100 retail brands taking advantage of our returns service and, as we move into 2012, our next area of focus will be to further develop our Click & CollectPlus service, which allows consumers to pick up goods bought online from their local CollectPlus shop. Recent research shows that two thirds of online shoppers are attracted to this concept and we expect it to be a key area of growth for us as it continues revolutionise how we all shop online.”
Parcel volumes have been boosted by a growing list of retail partners. Building on a list of existing retail clients such as ASOS, Boden, Top Shop and M&MDirect, CollectPlus has more than doubled the number of retailer brands it works with since April this year to over 100, taking on partners such as JD Sports, Karen Millen, Oasis, Warehouse, Asda Direct and Argos Outlet. Significantly, CollectPlus is now handling more than 1 in 5 of Shop Direct Group’s total returns and 1 in 5 of Very packages are now being delivered to CollectPlus stores for customer collection, demonstrating the continued successes of two of its longest-standing partnerships.
CollectPlus is a joint venture between PayPoint, the UK’s leading retail payment network, and the leading parcel delivery company Yodel.
In addition, within the next few weeks, eBay will begin offering the hundreds of thousands of people that sell using the online market, an integrated service allowing them to print postage labels. CollectPlus will be one of the parcel service providers for the new service, helping further boost the number of private individuals, e-pportunists and micro businesses using CollectPlus.
Mark Lewis continues:
“Unlike many other parcel companies, our starting point was ease and convenience for the online and mail order shopper. We’ve worked hard to build a service that suits their needs by creating a large network of local shops that are open at times that fit with the busy lives of consumers. That convenience is why so many retailers are coming to us and why we’re experiencing the level of growth we’re seeing.”
This year CollectPlus has received recognition from within the industry, having recently been named ‘Third Party Logistics Supplier’ of the year at the Retail Week Supply Chain Awards; ‘Innovative Delivery Service’ at IMRG’s eCommerce Excellence Awards; and has been Highly Commended for ‘Supply Chain Solution of the Year’ by Retail Systems.
Ends
Notes to editors
For more information or to speak to Mark Lewis of CollectPlus, please contact the CollectPlus Press Office on:
T: 0207 025 6500
About CollectPlus
CollectPlus is a delivery and returns service giving online shoppers greater freedom and flexibility with the choice of collecting and dropping off parcels at local convenience stores.
With 98% of CollectPlus outlets open seven days a week and, normally, early in the morning until late at night, the service offers online shoppers the option to pick up or drop off purchases at a time and place convenient to them. 82% of the UK population lives within a mile of a CollectPlus store in urban areas, and 83% within five miles in rural areas.
CollectPlus is a joint venture between PayPoint, the leading retail payment network, and the UK leading parcel delivery company Yodel.
