Courier will pick up your unwanted online items

App to give people same-day return service planned by major retailer

QUEUEING at the post office to send back unwanted clothes bought online could be a thing of the past with a new app that will send a courier to your door.

Online retailers are planning to offer “same-day returns” with couriers picking up unwanted items from people’s homes within hours of a request.

The average online shopper has unwanted but unre- turned goods worth £66 at home at any given time, amounting to £3.2billion for all UK shoppers, according to retail logistics firm Stuart.

It is understood that Asos is in advanced talks to become the first online fashion retailer in the UK to offer the new service to customers.

Nike and Nespresso are also understood to be considering adopting the service. David Sanez, chief operating officer at Stuart, said: “With more retailers offering same-day deliveries, it only makes sense to also offer same-day returns.

“Consumers will benefit from greater convenience, a better shopping experience and time back in their day. At a tap of an app, consumers can book a return at a time and place which suits them, even within the hour. No longer will we have to schedule in life admin in our busy lives to visit a post office or a pick-up point.

“For retailers, same-day returns mean a faster turnaround, reducing the number of items that will end up out of season by the time they’re redistributed. This means retailers are more likely to have the items we want, in our size, available to buy when we want it.”

Retailers including Asos and Argos have already launched same-day delivery options ahead of the festive shopping rush.

Dubbed ASOS Instant, the fashion retailer’s new service is available to customers who place their orders before 10am between Sunday and Friday. For a fee of £12.95 parcels are then delivered on the evening of the same day between 6pm and 10pm.

Argos last week opened two new “regional fulfilment” centres in Reading and Birmingham, allowing six million extra households to access same-day and nextday delivery.

Last year retail experts said Black Friday had ruined the Boxing Day and January sales as a record number of returned online orders meant that stock was delayed in warehouses, potentially leaving shop shelves empty.

As a result of higher rates of internet shopping than expected, and returns, up to one in five items was absent in store sales, the firm Clear Returns warned.

Asos, Nike and Nespresso declined to comment.