Hirers lead, others follow

26 July 2021

I was interested to hear this morning that Marks & Spencer plans to launch same-day and possibly half-day clothing deliveries.

A report in The Times says that the retailer intends to offer such a service nationwide.

This is something that tool hirers have been offering routinely in their local areas for years, of course, but it’s good to see a major retailer recognising its value. 

The key is in offering what customers want and having it in stock. 

Indeed, a number of hirers, particularly among national and regional groups, now commit to having ready availability of core items for fast site delivery.

And only last week, for example, Speedy announced a £10 million investment in new equipment to consolidate its four-hour guaranteed nationwide delivery promise. 

It’s a big commitment to offer such a service throughout the country, especially when organisations are looking to reduce their carbon footprint. 

That’s one reason why there is such interest amongst hirers in electric vehicles, of course, which are more suited to local deliveries from a network of depots. 

A particular cost challenge implication that M&S might face is from customers who want to return items as unsuitable or not what they expected.

This is rife in clothing retail - as highlighted in the home delivery boom during lockdowns - but is thankfully not so common in hire. 

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