Budget retailer B&M has quietly ditched one of its popular services just months after trialling it for customers. The high street retailer has made the decision to discontinue their home delivery service, with the option vanishing from the website.
The superstore is believed to have begun their home delivery service in January following a trial last summer - but it was ‘discreetly stopped’ a month later, according to Retail Week.
The service was previously available online on a number of bulky products like garden furniture, expanding to include smaller items, with around 1,000 products available for home delivery including toys, electricals, garden furniture and bedding.
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Not everything listed on the site could be ordered online for delivery, but anything with a little orange lorry symbol and ‘buy online now’ sticker qualified for the service. However, this appears to have been phased out with the B&M website no longer offering the options.
Customers have been commenting on social media about the disappearance of online delivery on the main B&M website.
One person asked: “Have you stopped doing home delivery as I can’t buy online like I did a few weeks ago?” Another questioned: “Have you stopped your delivery service?” A third said: “Online it says you do home delivery but I can’t see an option for that?”
Commenting on this decision from B&M, Nick Drewe, retail and trends expert at online discounts platform Wethrift, has suggested that the decision will hit some of those struggling in the cost of living the hardest:
He said: “As Britons continue to navigate through the ongoing cost of living crisis, many consumers have decided to cut down on spending where possible. For some living in cities or more heavily populated towns, this has resulted in the decision to become a carless household, and rely on public transport to eliminate the associated costs of petrol, insurance and vehicle tax.
“Unfortunately, when hugely popular retailers such as B&M decide to scrap their online delivery services, it’s these customers who don’t have access to a vehicle, who find themselves in a difficult situation. When looking to purchase heavy or bulkier items from B&M that they cannot simply carry or transport themselves via a bus, tube or train ride, they will now need to explore other options.
“These options could include seeking out a friend or family member who has access to a vehicle and can help them collect an item in-store. However, this could cause issues for those who are caring for small children at home or who may have accessibility issues.”
B&M’s sister site, B&M Garden Buildings, has delivery options available but only for large garden items including sheds, greenhouses, decking and furniture. As a result, some customers may look to rival retailers in order to benefit from delivery.
Nick added: “Some customers may also feel as though their only option is to instead look to purchase their heavier items from other retailers, such as B&Q, Homebase, Argos or Dunelm that are still able to offer home delivery services to customers unable to arrange their own collections.
“Unfortunately, these retailers also tend to have higher cost points than the likes of B&M and other discount stores like Home Bargains - which interestingly enough does still offer a delivery service to customers purchasing large furniture items or who spend more than £150.”
B&M chief executive Alex Russo told Retail Week: “Despite the challenging macroeconomic environment, we will continue to work hard to help both existing and new customers manage the cost-of-living crisis.”
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