As the retailer looks to boost its online capabilities, Marks & Spencer will introduce a same-day delivery service for clothing orders.
The company has announced that it will be the first big fashion retailer to offer rapid fulfilment of clothing orders, making it faster than the likes of Asos and Next.
Chief Executive Steve Rowe said shoppers could get school uniforms, cocktail dresses for evening functions and lacy lingerie ordered online and delivered last-minute. He added that the move would show how bricks-and-mortar retailers could use their stores as an advantage in online shopping.
The business is set to close 10 per cent of its 1,000 stores, with 254 selling clothing and food, as it moves high street shops that are struggling due to lockdown measures and the growth of online shopping.
“People think of the store portfolio as being an albatross around our neck but I don’t think it is, I think we are going to have a multichannel proposition so we can be where our customers want and they can choose how quickly they want it,” Rowe said.
