Click and collect is finally building momentum in Australia with eBay Australia and Woolworths announcing a partnership that enables eBay users to pick up online purchases in store.
From today buyers will be able to choose from more than 40 000 items on eBay and collect orders from their choice of more than 90 Woolworths and BIG W stores across Sydney and Tasmania, where the service will initially launch.
The service is only available to official eBay merchants, with the service launching to meet growing consumer demand.
Research shows that one in five online shoppers in Australia buys online at least once a week, yet almost half (47%) are not permitted to receive personal deliveries at work. A quarter (23%) have taken holiday or worked from home, in order to receive an online delivery. Half (49%) redirect personal online deliveries because they are at work.
The partnership poses a significant opportunity for retailers, with a surge in purchase frequency predicted for more than two million Australian eBay users.
Hamish Moline, eBay merchant development director, said: “The online retail industry is growing faster than ever. Last year, Australians spent $16.4 billion in this sector alone. As it continues to expand, the traditional retail model is evolving and the lines between online and offline are blurring. Consumers now expect a more bespoke experience that meets their needs.
“The new service creates a brand new avenue for our sellers, driving traffic and encouraging a rise in sales that could change the face of businesses all over the country. Not only that, it’s a service we hope will revolutionise the way Australians shop, enabling a new and convenient way to get the things they need and want every day.”
With 91% of Australians living within 10km of a Woolworths store, eBay and Woolworths project there will be up to 12,000 sellers involved, and additional Woolworths and BIG W stores included as the service ramps up over the next three years.
Emily Amos, general manager Woolworths marketplace, said: “Woolworths is Australia’s largest domestic retailer and we know our customers are busier than ever and are looking for greater convenience and ease in everything they do. This new service will help them make best use of their time by removing the need to wait at home for a parcel to arrive.
“This unique partnership will change retailing in Australia. It brings together Woolworths, Australia’s largest retailer, and eBay, one of the world’s largest online marketplaces, to deliver the ultimate in shopping convenience,” she said.
The new Click & Collect service launches with sellers including Your Home Depot, No Frills, Surf Stitch, Mytopia, Futu Online and Golfbox. The service will expand to include 250 sellers within two months.
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