Swedish furniture retailers IKEA has announced it will be trialling a brand-new click and collection unit in Follingsby Park Industrial Estate starting next Monday (April 25).
The new location which previously acted as a storage warehouse for the company's North East branch on Pinetree Way, Gateshead, will allow customers to shop online and pick up their items after selecting an allocated time slot.
And the company hope that the move will allow it to become more affordable and accessible for those who have no means of travelling further afield for their products, while also shortening travel times for Sunderland and South Tyneside customers.
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As of Monday, customers will be able to skip navigating the aisles of the huge store near the MetroCentre and instead shop from the comfort of their own home before collecting with ease.
The move comes following IKEA's initial click and collect service which launched in 2020 through the impact of the global Coronavirus pandemic, which placed strict limitations and stringent restriction on the way that residents across the United Kingdom could shop.
The retailer initially had to close their doors completely, before rules were introduced to allow companies to operate solely on a click and collection basis. And the option has remained popular for many despite lockdown rules since being dropped.
On the launch of the trial, an IKEA spokesperson said: “We can confirm that IKEA Gateshead will be trialling an external free Click and Collect facility at Follingsby Park Industrial Estate in Washington, Tyne and Wear from 25 th April for customers shopping online.
“This service forms part of our ongoing ambitions to become even more affordable and accessible, allowing us to meet our customers in ways that are more convenient for them.”
Click and collect is available at the Gateshead store from 9am to 9pm during the week, 9am to 8pm each Saturday and 11am to 5pm on a Sunday, however, no allocated times have been given thus far for the new Follingsby Park unit.
Will you be using the new click and collect point? Let us know in the comments section.
