A new service which allows consumers and small businesses to send parcels through 3,500 local shops is being rolled out today, in direct competition to Royal Mail’s parcels division.
Originally established in February 2009, Collect+ began by providing returns services for brands such as Asos, Littlewoods, K&Co and Boden at PayPoint branded stores. It is now launching what it claims is a cheaper and more convenient delivery and parcel collection service direct from the high street.
Parcels up to five kilos in weight will cost £4.99 and those between 5 and 10 kilos will cost £6.99. This compares with £9.58 to send a “standard parcel” of below six kilos using the Post Office, or £12.61 for parcels below 10 kilos at the Post Office (for a comparable three-day delivery service).
Mark Lewis, chief executive of Collect+, said: “Customers tell us that it is inconvenient to drop their parcels off during the working day and that they want a more convenient option. Two-fifths of those that use our service to return goods to our retail partners do so outside normal hours or at weekends. Today’s launch extends that convenience to personal deliveries, allowing us to offer a simple parcel send alternative matched to modern lifestyles.”
He added: “When the retailer service first launched, we spent a lot of time with our partners to ensure that any initial teething problems were rectified and that we were offering our customers the service they’d expect. We’ve also been trialing the service we’re launching today to ensure that anyone visiting their local corner shop to send a parcel will find it easy, convenient and efficient.”
The company claims 75 per cent of people in towns and cities across the UK are within a mile of its nearest outlet, while it promises an “ambitious expansion plan” that will make its service even more convenient.
At present, the PayPoint branded retail network in the UK totals over 22,500 terminals located in local shops (including Co-op, Spar, McColls, Costcutter, Sainsbury’s Local, One Stop, Londis and thousands of independents) meaning there are at least 19,000 further outlets that Collect+ could use in the future.
