CitySprint develops "twilight" ecommerce shipping service

Sameday courier company CitySprint has developed a new “twilight” online shopping and shipping service for consumers purchasing from the UK’s largest online-only fashion and beauty store, ASOS.com. The service means that for a GBP 9.99 fee, online shoppers can place orders on the website right up until midnight, and still expect their deliveries the next day, during the usual 6pm to 9pm window.

CitySprint, which operates through 31 service centres around the UK and a 1,600-strong vehicle fleet, said the new service would provide ASOS customers with greater flexibility, and make the most of one of the key times of the day for internet shopping.

Robert Muldoon, customer delivery manager at ASOS, said the new option was helping his company to compete with extended opening hours being offered by high street retailers.

He said: “This is the perfect solution for our customers who lead hectic lifestyles but also have a big appetite to shop.”

Capturing the imagination

The twilight service was first introduced in London in June, and has since expanded to Leeds and Manchester, with CitySprint expecting to extend it further, to Liverpool and Nottingham, soon.

The company said delivery order volumes have doubled under the new offering.

Bel Shergill, retail sector manager at CitySprint, said the service had “really captured the imagination” of ASOS customers, and was all about extending the order window during peak online traffic time.

“It’s a solution that appears to be working will,” said Shergill. “We’re maintaining a 99% delivery success rate and have a dedicated support team to supplement ASOS’ own customer relations team.”

CitySprint has integrated its IT systems and teams with ASOS to ensure online shoppers know “exactly what’s happening and when”, added Shergill.