Primark to trial online shopping but not home delivery

Image: Primark Value retailer Primark will venture into e-commerce, after eschewing online shopping in the digital age. Parent company Associated British Foods said on Monday it would launch a Click & Collect trial in 25 stores in the northwest, starting with childrenswear. Customers will have nearly double the options across 2,000 items of children's clothing, accessories and lifestyle products. The new service, which follows Primark’s refreshed UK website in April, will also offer online-only products with around 40 percent of the items available exclusively to Click & Collect. In a statement Primark said the range will focus on trends, exclusive styles, expanded ranges from Primark’s license partners, larger items such as nursery products and multipacks of kids’ clothes. In addition, it offers the opportunity to have seasonal product such as rainwear and beach and holiday wear, available throughout the year. A milestone for ABF Paul Marchant, Primark Chief Executive said: “The Click & Collect trial is a milestone for our business and builds on the investments we’ve made over the last two years in new technology and people to make this possible. “This trial will give customers so much more of what they love and a new way to shop with us. It brings together more choice and greater convenience and complements the great instore experience that is at the heart of our business. We think it will also give us an opportunity to reach new customers by highlighting the fantastic collection that we have for kids of all ages. We’ve chosen to trial the new service in a region where we have a wide range of stores of different sizes and formats and we can’t wait to see the customer response.” Over the past two decades Primark has focused on physical retail, steering clear of e-commerce. While the Click & Collect service will be the company's first foray into online shopping, it will not be embracing logistics such as home delivery, shipping and returns management. The discount retailer said it would look into adding other categories to its Click & Collect service if it scores success with its children’s ranges. Primark was hit hard during the pandemic, having no e-commerce to support sales when its stores were forced to close. Sales have since bounced back with an 81 percent increase in the three months to end of May compared to 2021, where Primark reported 1.7 billion pounds in revenue.
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