Argos beefs up Fast Track capabilities with two new fulfilment centres

The new distribution centres in Birmingham and Reading, each measuring 100,000 sq ft, are aimed at significantly improving Argos’ fulfilment capabilities.

They will make the Sainsbury’s-owned retailer’s Fast Track services available to an additional six million households, and allow it to expand the number of products available for same-day and next-day delivery and collection to 35,000.

The service is increasingly popular with Argos shoppers: sales through Fast Track delivery are up 31%, while Fast Track collection has surged 57%.

Argos chief executive John Rogers said: “Our new Reading and Birmingham sites increase our Fast Track capacity across the UK significantly, which means we can get more products to more customers more quickly.

“This is great timing for customers with Black Friday and Christmas just around the corner. We expect the two new sites to process more than a million items in time for Christmas.”

He added: “We know that we see double-digit sales growth and increased footfall when sales from a Sainsbury’s in-store collection point are fulfilled through a regional fulfilment centre, so we are confident that this will have a significant, positive commercial impact as well as delighting our customers.”

The fulfilment centres complement Argos’ existing seven distribution centres and have created 200 new permanent part- and full-time jobs.