M&S adds "groundbreaking" same-day delivery for fashion

By

Nigel TAYLOR

Published
Jul 26, 2021

Marks & Spencer is ramping up its fashion focus. And no, there are no new collections to report. Rather the UK retail giant is to introduce a groundbreaking same-day delivery service for clothing.

It’s groundbreaking because M&S will become the first major fashion retailer to offer a new extra-fast order fulfilment service, claiming to be faster than competitors such as Next and Asos, reported The Times.

This could even include half-day and last-minute services, including delivery of products such as school uniforms, lingerie and occasionwear. 

The improved service is part of the retailer’s switch to a digital-first focus that saw the launch of its MS2 division, set up last year “to better deliver online for customers”.

The retailer was perhaps a little late to fully appreciate the importance of online and its web sales lagged those of numerous market peers.

M&S is also planning to open a major new distribution centre in Bradford to improve its online capacity in time for Christmas. 

Earlier in the year, Stephen Langford, director of its web operation, said it was “transforming our clothing business to be more relevant, more often for our 22 million customers – however they choose to shop. Building Bradford is a key way we’re setting ourselves up for a more digital future at M&S under the banner of MS2”.

Speed of delivery is a key function for webstores and adding it sees M&S competing directly with a raft of pureplay businesses offering speedy order fulfilment. It will be interesting to see how much of an advantage this new offer gives the retailer.