Amazon has introduced a new click and collect option, Counter.
Available in the UK and Italy, it enables quick and easy collection of parcels from popular retail outlets and convenience stores.
Following trials with launch partners, Amazon Counter will be rolled out across partner stores throughout 2019, including at hundreds of NEXT stores in the UK and thousands of stores in Italy with partners Giunti, Fermopoint and SisalPay.
After positive feedback from the trials, it is hoped Counter will help attract footfall to the struggling British high streets.
Customers will have access to thousands of Counter locations in the UK and Italy, with more locations and partners coming to Europe in the future.
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Delivery to an Amazon Counter location is available on the tens of millions of items sold on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.it and works with One-Day and Standard Shipping. The service is available at no extra cost to Prime members.
After shopping on Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.it, customers proceed to checkout and select a Counter pick up point as their delivery location.
As soon as their package arrives at the store, the customer receives an e-mail notification with a unique barcode as well as the address and opening hours of their selected store, and will have 14 days to collect their parcel.
At the store, customers show the barcode to the partner store staff, who will scan it, retrieve the package, and hand it to the customer.
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Counter is part of the Amazon Hub family, which includes Lockers. For store partners, Counter enables store staff to serve customers without disrupting their daily activities.
Said Patrick Supanc, Amazon Director of Lockers and Pickup: “With Counter, we’ve used technology to enhance and redesign the click and collect experience.
“We’re excited for customers to experience this service at one of the thousands of stores now available for Counter, but we’re not stopping there.
“We’re now actively looking to bring even more partners onboard across Europe — from family-run corner shops to retail chains — businesses of all sizes can take advantage of the opportunity as we expand the Counter network for customers.”
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