Third party click and collect business Doddle is refocusing its business model on third party locations rather than the standalone store network strategy the company had been pursuing, and says it will have up to 500 such locations by Christmas. The claims come as the company is closing 17 of its current 23 standalone store network with the reported laying off of up to 100 of its staff as a result.
The distinctive purple standalone Doddle branded stores are located in and around train stations across the UK – from Birmingham to Brighton – as well as shopping centres and in other locations and operate from early to late allowing shoppers to collect or return parcels whenever they are passing. The company claims it takes customers less than two minutes to deal with their parcel returns or collections.
However, the company said that it was partnerships with third parties that were working best for the brand and would mean it was these sorts of partnerships which would be the focus of its future growth. “The click and collect market continues to grow rapidly, and as consumer preferences evolve, our business model is evolving too,” said a spokesperson for Doddle.
“We now have 51 locations with recognised brands including Morrisons, Cancer Research UK and other retail partners which have proven popular with customers. As a result of their success, we plan to open up to 500 of these locations by Christmas. We are in discussions with a number of other major retailers and plan to have 1,000 locations in the next two years. This expanded network will be complemented by six Doddle stores, and will see the closure of the remaining stand-alone stores,” said the spokesperson.
Image credit: Doddle
