M&S has become one of the first major retailer customers of the Hermes Play video message service.
The service allows customers to access a video by scanning the barcode on their parcel label or through notification emails. Retailers can insert a message that allows them to up or cross-sell another product, driving more sales on their website.
M&S is using the augmented reality video to promote its range of festive jumpers to online customers who make use of Hermes’ next-day delivery service.
Studies of the neuroscience of receiving a package have found that opening a box not only stimulates the pleasure centres of the human brain, but also connects the positive outcome to the act of placing an order. This makes this open-the-box moment an ideal time to provide the customer with suggestions for their next purchase.
Nathan Ansell, Clothing & Home Marketing Director at Marks & Spencer, said that “with more customers ordering online the delivery experience is only becoming more important, and we’re looking forward to hearing what our customers think of this tech.”
Hermes Germany has also recently decided to shut down subsidiary Liefery from the end of February. The company was founded in 2014 to target the same-day market, but later expanded to cover next-day after the same-day market “fell short of expectations”.
In a statement, Hermes said that customers had not been sufficiently willing to pay for this “logistically demanding and cost-intensive type of delivery”.
“In addition, many consumers are still not primarily concerned with speed or same-day delivery. Rather, Liefery has made the experience that transparent and reliable communication along the transport process is far more relevant for the recipient.”
Hermes has also said it will stop shipping fresh goods in Germany, citing low margins despite rising demand in the sector.
