Customers may have waited nearly a decade for Primark to catch up with rivals by launching a click and collect service but they are likely to have to wait a little bit longer with the entire Primark site going down after being unable to cope with the rush.
Customers are currently being greeted with the text: “It’s Been Great To See So Much Interest In The Launch Of Our New Click + Collect Trial.
“We’re aware that some people have had issues accessing the website this morning and we’re working hard to address this to ensure that everyone can access and browse the site easily.”
The new service went live this morning across 25 stores in the North West of England, Yorkshire and North Wales today, as part of a trial. However, the whole Primark website has now been knocked offline.
Once it is working, customers will be able to access an extensive range of Primark kids’ products, with up to 2,000 items across baby, kids and decorative nursery products and toys, and hundreds of new items and ranges exclusive to click and collect.
Primark said that customers visiting the smaller store locations throughout the trial will benefit from access to ranges normally found in the larger flagship stores, as well as the exclusive ranges.
In response to the launch, Merkle UK head of strategy experience and commerce Samantha Mansfield said: “Primark’s reluctance to join the digital age seems to have faded. Online interactions now make up a big chunk of our lives, so this move will be beneficial. Click-and-collect options merge the digital and the physical of business and can offer immediate and tangible experiences.
“This is crucial for an increasingly digital world to grow alongside the brick and mortar. In the run-up to Christmas and as it already announced a price freeze of products, Primark is looking as if it will have a successful festive season – with loyalty the true prize in mind.
“Brand loyalty follows when a brand fully understands their customers, knows what they want, and delivers on it digitally. Primark seems to have woken up to commerce today – it isn’t just about transactions, it’s a new paradigm that demands a personalised approach to meet people’s expectations.”
Quite when the site will be up and running again, however, is anyone’s guess…
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