WHSmith is trialling fast delivery of work-from-home products from printer ink and cables to gifts in a partnership with Deliveroo.
From today, shoppers in Reading can order from a range of 600 WHSmith products for delivery in as little as 20 minutes. The Deliveroo service will then extend to a further nine high street WHSmith shops over the next week, from Richmond and Brighton to Leeds and Cambridge.
The range available for fast delivery will include products that are essential for those working from home, from printer cartridges to parcel tape, as well as digital accessories such as charging cables and power adapters, revision guides, bestselling books and a range of toys, arts and crafts items.
Sean Toal, managing director, WHSmith High Street, says: “We’re always exploring new ways to delight our customers both in store and online by providing them with an exceptional shopping experience. We’re really excited to be partnering with Deliveroo for this trial which will complement our existing offer and enable our customers to receive the products that they want and need from us as fast as possible from their local store direct to their door; whether that’s a greetings card, working from home essentials, a last-minute gift or a newly released book.”
For WHSmith, the new service adds to a range of delivery and collection options that already includes next-day click and collect and home delivery from WHSmith.co.uk.
The partnership expands the range available via fast delivery services into new areas. Fast delivery services expanded quickly with groceries during the Covid-19 pandemic. Deliveroo, for example, now delivers quickly from almost 6,000 grocery sites in the UK and Ireland, from major grocers to smaller independents – an increase of more than two-thirds compared to the end of 2020.
Since then, the service has extended to health and beauty products. Deliveroo also works with Lloyds Pharmacy and with Boots. Now the partnership with WHSmith takes in a new category of products that could be needed in a hurry, from work from home essentials to gifts.
Carlo Mocci, chief business officer, UK&I at Deliveroo, says: “This partnership will further increase the choice and selection of on-demand convenience products for our consumers, delivered in as little as 20 minutes, and will create more work for riders across the UK.”
WHSmith is a Top350 retailer in RXUK Top500 research.
