Try on clothes you bought online in a collection ‘pod’ at the office

THE boss of a maritime security group is launching a company offering internet shoppers collection ‘pods’ on the high street and even in the lobbies of large offices.

Local Letterbox plans 100 locations by the end of September. They will include staffed collection points in supermarkets and convenience stores, and up to 500 are planned for the end of the year.

Chief executive Nick Davis has been testing the concept at the head office of internet fashion retailer Asos in Camden, North London.

It enables staff to collect items they have ordered on the internet from a kiosk in the lobby.

Davis is also chief executive of maritime security company Gulf of Aden Group Transits, which provides armed teams for container ships and tankers to defend against pirates.

The less risky Local Letterbox service will work through partnerships with retailers to let customers select a collection point as a primary or secondary delivery address.

‘Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular, but the problem is that you are hardly ever in when the parcel arrives,’ said Davis.

He said that bodies such as universities are interested in the system because the cost of distributing large quantities of items every day to students in halls of residence is growing.

Each £5,000 pod also includes a changing room, which means customers who have ordered more than one size of clothing can try on items and immediately return unwanted ones.

Local Letterbox plans to launch own-brand shops of about 1,000 sq ft next year and Davis, who is looking for capital, reckons there is scope for 3,000 of these.

Neil Craven