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B&M will launch an online home delivery service on a limited range of items ‘shortly’, the company revealed in its full-year results announcement this week.
The company’s website has previously not been transactional but has instead acted as a footfall driver into stores. However, the home delivery trial will launch on a limited range before ultimately being extended across around 1,000 SKUs. It said that these would mostly consist of bulkier or higher ticket general merchandise items which are harder to transport home from stores, such as indoor and outdoor furniture, homewares and toys or products that do not require disproportionate mail order packaging.
The company is also considering the potential to offer online-only range extensions but said that opportunity would be assessed in due course.
B&M’s CEO Simon Arora said the company remains “open minded as to the long-term potential of the trial”. Instead a ‘test and learn’ approach will be adopted as the retailer monitors customer response.
He also confirmed that the company didn’t intend making the full range available for click and collect since such a strategy could undermine the high level of impulse purchases typically seen instore.
The business currently operates from a network of five main B&M UK distribution centres which Arora said remain adequate to service current sales volumes. Over the medium term, the group’s infrastructure requirements will depend on the rate and geographical spread of new store openings alongside ongoing development of the supply chain. The company’s transport operation is also operated in-house and remains well invested and scalable, it said.
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