Retail giants IKEA and Tesco are deepening their collaboration with the launch of a new trial featuring "next-generation" self-service lockers at Tesco’s Peterborough Werrington superstore.
The initiative aims to enhance customer convenience by providing a more efficient way to collect IKEA online orders.
The new automated locker system, one of three to be tested as part of the trial, offers customers the ability to purchase a wide range of IKEA products, from small home accessories to larger furniture items, for collection when they wish.
Peterborough residents will be the first in the UK to experience the benefits of these lockers, with the remaining two trial locations, Dereham and Cambridge, set to follow later this month.
The service is available to customers within a 100km ordering radius of the Werrington superstore.
To utilise the locker service, customers can select the ‘Collect from an IKEA Store or Locker’ delivery option at checkout and choose the ‘Tesco, Werrington Car Park Lockers’ as their preferred pick-up location.
A confirmation email and text containing a six-digit code will be sent to customers upon order completion, granting them access to their locker.
The new lockers offer increased flexibility compared to the existing IKEA and Tesco mobile pick-up points.
While the latter operate within specific time windows, the automated lockers allow customers to collect their orders at any time.
“We’re excited to extend our successful partnership with Tesco to bring these next-generation lockers to our customers in the Peterborough area and provide a range of services that are affordable, accessible and provide the best possible experience,” said Jakob Bertilsson, country customer fulfilment manager, IKEA UK.
For larger orders, multiple lockers may be used in the system.
“Our IKEA-manned Click & Collect points are already widely used with almost 100 in operation right across the UK, and we hope that these convenient and forward-thinking new automated lockers are just as well received,” said Simon Williams, Tesco’s Assets and Estates director.
