Universal Music UK has outsourced its ecommerce delivery and customer service. As a result fulfillment and deliveries for its more than 70 dedicated digital artist stores for names including Lady Gaga, The Rolling Stones, Justin Bieber and Take That, will now be handled by arvato UK & Ireland.
The new contract sees arvato take on the fulfillment and delivery of goods from CDs and DVDs to vinyl records, headphones, and clothing sold through the online stores. To that end it has integrated Universal’s ecommerce order management system with its own business-to-business order and warehouse management systems. It will also handle customer service from its Liverpool contact centre, providing product information, supporting returns and managing queries about orders over the phone and by email.
The contract marks an expansion of the two partners’ existing supply chain management relationship which covers business-to-business distribution and has to date seen arvato, a subsidiary of Bertelsmann group member arvato AG, ship 150m units for Universal UK.
“As the music industry continues to evolve, we’re confident that arvato’s innovative and cost-effective approach will support our ambitious future ecommerce targets,” said Steve Partridge, head of ecommerce at Universal Music UK.
Markus Schmücker, managing director, supply chain solutions, arvato UK & Ireland, said: “Universal Music is the world’s largest music content company and our job is to ensure that its customers receive the high quality service they expect.
“It’s exciting to work with such an innovative company. Universal’s diverse approach to ecommerce fits perfectly with our growth strategy in the UK as we look for new ways to support our clients with innovative and scalable ecommerce solutions.”
