Click & Collect Entering ‘Explosive Growth’ Period In Britain

The number of UK shoppers using click and collect is expected to double in the next three years as more consumers try out a growing number of services from retailers.

The research by Planet Retail estimates that the number of shoppers using click and collect services will increase from about a third (35%) currently to 76% by 2017.

Global research director at Planet Retail Natalie Berg said: ‘Click & collect is poised for explosive growth in the UK. Shoppers are already accustomed to browsing and transacting on their own terms – choice in fulfilment is the final piece to the puzzle. Within the next three years, we’re expecting more than three-quarters of online shoppers to collect their own items.'

She explained: 'Two of the biggest barriers to buying online are cost of delivery and inconvenient delivery times, making click & collect an increasingly attractive option for both shoppers and retailers. Fulfilment is poised to be the next big battleground in retail.'

Research by Planet Retail in the report UK Click & Collect: Retail Fad or Future of the High Street? shows that the number of UK shoppers using click & collect to buy online and self-collect, compares to 13% in the US and 5% in Germany.

But Planet Retail warns that retailers are failing to cater to the shift in shopping behaviour. Only two-thirds of the Top 50 retailers currently offer the service while only 14% offer more than one collection option, including in-store service desks, collection lockers (4%) or third-party shops (12%) such as convenience stores.

'Retailers should be readying themselves for this massive shift in shopping behaviour and thinking beyond traditional collection points. Train stations, schools and even shoppers’ own cars could be the collection points of the future. Retailers must be prepared to forge relationships with some unconventional partners in pursuit of better serving the customer,' Berg said.

The new report highlights strategic partnerships such as those between eBay and Argos, CollectPlus and Westfield, and calls out best practice examples from John Lewis, Next, Amazon, Tesco and Asda, among others.