Royal Mail trials evening delivery for online shoppers

Royal Mail has launched a trial of evening deliveries as part of its drive to give shoppers even greater control over the delivery of items they have ordered online.

As part of the six month trial, people living within the M25 can select an evening delivery option for items they have ordered from participating retailers. House of Fraser and beauty product specialist L’Occitane are taking part in the project and Royal Mail is talking to other retailers about joining the trial.

This is the latest initiative by Royal Mail to make it even easier for people to receive items they have ordered online or from a catalogue. Royal Mail is currently extending the opening times of more than 600 of its busiest delivery offices until 8pm on a Wednesday to make it even easier for people to receive items that could not be delivered during the day because no-one was at home.

Mike Brown, Royal Mail’s Fulfilment Director, said: "Royal Mail is continually looking at ways in which we can invest in new services and innovations to help both retailers and shoppers have even greater choice over the delivery of items."

Although the UK online shopping market continues to grow, with IMRG, the industry association for e-commerce, expecting annual sales of £56 billion this year, a recent study by Royal Mail revealed that 58 per cent of people said they would shop more online if there were more flexible delivery options.

Mike Brown added: "Consumers increasingly want more control over when and where they receive their orders and Royal Mail is looking to fit the online delivery experience around the shopper - enabling them to select, rather than being told, when their goods will be delivered."

Robin Terrell, Executive Director of Multi-Channel and International for House of Fraser, said: "One of our key focus areas is providing our customers with the widest choice of convenient and flexible delivery options in the marketplace.

"Royal Mail’s evening delivery initiative fits perfectly with our strategy and allows us to offer our customers living within the M25 yet another option when deciding how they wish to receive their online orders."

Kevin Cooper, E-Commerce and Mail Order Director at L’Occitane, said: "We always strive to offer our customers with the widest choice of delivery options as we know that to them convenience is of the utmost importance. This new initiative from Royal Mail allows us to give our customers the maximum flexibility when ordering from us - putting them at the absolute centre of our online experience."

David Smith, Managing Director of IMRG, said: "Royal Mail clearly understands that convenience and flexibility in delivery options are absolutely key for all online consumers. Following on from extending their delivery office opening hours earlier in the year, we are pleased to see that Royal Mail is continuing to investigate ways it can help retailers provide their customers with greater choice and control over delivery, resulting in a more positive online shopping experience."

The trial enables shoppers at House of Fraser and L’Occitane to ask, at the point of order, for items to be delivered in the evening between 6pm and 10pm.

Royal Mail already provides a range of options for customers who are not in to receive a delivery, either because the item requires a signature or is too big to go through the letterbox.

Royal Mail Tracked, a new service recently launched by Royal Mail, enables retailers to give their shoppers the ability to specify an alternative safe and secure delivery point, such as a porch or neighbour, should they not be at home when delivery was attempted.

Customers can also arrange a redelivery to their home or a neighbour or ask for items to be taken to a Post Office branch, through a service called Local Collect.