Boohoo.com, Amazon, Next Warn Severe Weather Will Delay Deliveries

Boohoo.com, the UK’s second largest fashion pureplay etailer, and other ecommerce firms have warned that poor weather sweeping the UK is causing delays to orders.

The firm highlighted many areas of the country, mainly in London, Hampshire, the south coast, Cornwall and southern Wales as areas that have been affected particularly badly.

It said in a statement on its website: 'Due to severe weather conditions there may be delays to UK and Irish deliveries.'

Meanwhile, Amazon UK said in a message on its site: 'Severe weather conditions are affecting deliveries across the country. Some deliveries could take 1-2 days longer than usual to be delivered. The estimated delivery date quoted in the checkout will reflect our best estimate of when your order will be delivered.'

Next, the UK's biggest online clothing retailer, also listed a number of postcodes it expected to be badly affected. It said on its website: 'Whilst the majority of our parcels are being delivered on time, in some parts of the country, particularly Scotland, we are having difficulties getting through to deliver orders.'

Delivery firm CollectPlus, whose customers include Amazon.co.uk, Asos.com and House of Fraser, also warned: 'Recent weather conditions across the UK means there may be delays to some deliveries and collections in certain areas. As a result of localised flooding, high winds and road closures, parcels may be delayed in reaching their final destinations.'

It added: 'We would like to take this opportunity to apologise if your parcel has been one of those affected by the adverse weather.'

It said it was a 'national issue' and that some parcels may need to travel through routes or via hubs in areas that are affected even if customers are not actually in weather-hit regions.

The poor weather is otherwise expected to be a boost to ecommerce retailers are shoppers in some areas are unable or unwilling to leave their homes. John Lewis said yesterday that sales at JohnLewis.com increased 17.7 per cent in the week to February 8, the most recent figures available.

However, in other areas, the weather had disrupted power supplies, phone lines and caused flooding which effectively cut off local areas from the internet.