Asda has launched a service to allow customers to collect and return orders from other retailers in-store as it refocuses its fulfilment offer.
The service, called ToYou, means shoppers will be able to track and pick up orders from third-party retailers at any of Asda’s 614 stores. Fashion firm Missguided is the first to sign up, but Asda said this will be the “first of many” partnerships.
The new service will also be used for online orders placed with Asda’s fashion arm George.com.
Last month the Walmart-owned firm revealed that it was scaling back its plans to roll out click-and-collect for its own products.
The Walmart-owned retailer said with ToYou it is “looking to tap into the 1.5 billion parcels which are delivered across the UK every single year and the appetite from major online retailers to have a physical footprint at locations across the UK”.
Asda is claiming the new “game-changing” service is an industry first as it will be an “end-to-end” parcel solutions owned by one company, which will mean live tracking and data can be offered to customers in real time.
Asda claims the service could bring its stores up to 40m extra visits per year by 2019.
The grocer has struggled of late and in August reported a 4.7% drop in second-quarter sales.
“Not only are we providing online retailers with a presence on the high street, we’re also bridging a gap for customers who want to collect or return their online orders while carrying out their weekly shop”
Ian Stansfield, Asda
Asda logistics services and supply chain vice-president Ian Stansfield, said: “Demand for online shopping is ever increasing, with it grows the appetite from online retailers to have physical footprints their customers can access.
“Not only are we providing online retailers with a presence on the high street, we’re also bridging a gap for customers who want to collect or return their online orders while carrying out their weekly shop.”
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