Click and collect wine lockers launched

Virgin Wines is hoping to make its customers’ last minute Christmas wine deliveries that much easier by launching a click and collect locker service.

The UK-based online retailer has teamed up with locker service InPost so that customers will be able to make 24-hour collections from 1,000 lockers across the country, allowing for last minute Christmas purchases.

Jay Wright, CEO of Virgin Wines, said: “Wine is big in Britain and buying it online is becoming increasingly popular because it’s just so much more convenient – particularly when stocking up the wine rack for special occasions.

“We’re all leading ever-busier lives so ensuring an easy and efficient shopping and delivery experience when people buy wine online with us is incredibly important.”

The lockers are within five miles of almost three-quarters of UK postcodes. Customers are sent texts letting them know when their cases have been dispatched and delivered to the lockers.

Two-thirds of customers are considering using click-and-collect lockers this winter, according to a recent report on Demystifying E-Commerce by Harpers Wine and Spirit, while over 40% of people are planning to buy their wine online this year to avoid Christmas Post Office queues.

The automated lockers are located in safe, secure areas, such as at petrol stations, train stations and outside local shops and retailers such as Toys R Us.