With the peak shopping period limbering up waiting to take on all comers and test many retailers and carriers to their limits, some key names in both sectors are making themselves ready.
One such case is Doddle, which is to start accepting returns for high street fashion retailer Oasis.
Goods bought online can be returned free of charge, and in early 2016 Doddle is expected to offer Oasis collections too.
Briony Garbett, director of digital at Oasis said: “We want our customers to be 100% satisfied with their purchase and if it’s not quite right, it’s crucial we make it as easy as possible for them to return or exchange that item. We were impressed by how easy and hassle free Doddle makes it for Oasis customers to return purchases to us and the high level of service they receive.”
Tim Robinson, Doddle CEO said: “As we head into the peak retail period, maintaining excellent customer service for the final and reverse mile is an industry-wide priority. Oasis have been very proactive adding Doddle to its range of returns options ahead of peak and we look forward to making it even easier for Oasis customers to collect and return their online orders with Doddle.”
Look out for an exclusive interview with Tim Robinson
of Doddle on eDelivery later this month.
Doddle currently has 25 retail partnerships in place with a number of retailers including Amazon, ASOS, New Look, Warehouse, Hawes & Curtis, T.M. Lewin and Wiggle with a number of new partnerships soon to be announced.
On the carrier front, On the dot, the consumer-focused delivery service launched in June of this year by CitySprint, has released its API to retailers to enable its service to be hard-wired into their ecommerce sites.
This will mean retailers can offer specified-hour courier deliveries to their customers through their own branded website or EPOS system.
On the dot has also launched a Retailer Portal, aimed at SME-and-small-sized retailers, which charges a “pay-as-you-go” fee for bundles of specified-hour deliveries, and bypasses the need for full integration.
Delivery bundles are available for both five and ten mile options, with on demand prices for deliveries up to 30 miles from store.
Patrick Gallagher, CEO of CitySprint, said: “Late, lost or missed deliveries cost retailers millions of pounds every year, but more importantly can cause lasting damage to a brand. This is especially critical at peak season, when customers may already be under stress. With Black Friday and Christmas fast approaching, retailers have to put the customer first by meeting higher delivery volumes without compromising on quality.”
London-based housewares and kitchenware retailer, Lords at Home, has signed up to the On the dot Retailer Portal.
Shaun Bridgeman, ecommerce manager at Lords, said: “As a growing local brand, we pride ourselves on being able to offer our customers a bespoke and high quality level of personal service. We are always asking ourselves what we can do to make our customers’ lives easier. It’s what makes us stand out. On the dot allows us to move from telling the customer when they can have a delivery to asking when do they want a delivery. Our customers now have the opportunity to get items delivered at a time that suits their schedule.”
While only available in Central London at the moment, On the dot has said it has plans to cover Birmingham as of next month.
