IKEA is launching collection points at Tesco car parks as part of an “exciting” new national pilot.
Several new “collect near you” bays are set to be installed at store across the UK as the furniture giant bids to slash delivery costs.
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According to a press release, customers will be able to order online and then meet with delivery driver at one of the designated points for collection as part of the new service.
A spokesman for IKEA says the process will make it “easier then ever” to shop with them.
In total, seven stores have been selected for the initial rollout, including sites in Manchester, Liverpool, and Cambridge.
Customers collecting from the new designated sites will be able to pick up orders over £200 for free, or pay £10 delivery for all other orders.
Tesco Extra in Blackburn will be the first to open the brand new collection point on October 10, with all other sites set to follow suit later this year.
Following a similar trials with supermarket stores in Denmark, Tesco is set to run the trial for an initial period of six months.
The full list of trial sites is:
- Tesco Blackburn Superstore
- Tesco Doncaster Extra
- Tesco Cambridge Newmarket Road Superstore
- Tesco Dereham Extra
- Tesco Bolton Horwich Extra
- Tesco Stockport Extra
- Tesco Liverpool Old Swan Superstore
An IKEA spokesperson said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with Tesco to test and trial more convenient, accessible and affordable collection services in the UK.
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“The pilot will launch in Bolton and Stockport later this year. While we are unable to share exact dates at the moment, we will be sure to share further details in the coming months.”
The latest update was greeted by a mixed reaction online, with retail analyst Natalie Berg describing the collaboration as “interesting.”
“Ikea gets the need to become more accessible (despite the ££) and imagine more pressing now w/ consumers shying away from big-ticket buys and consolidating trips,” she tweeted.
“That said, still need to spend £200 for “free” collection.”
The latest trial comes just months after the giant announced the closure of one of it’s flagship stores in Tottenham – costing more than 450 job casualties.
It signalled a major change in company policy to move away from the warehouse stores to smaller shops in a bid to keep up with changing consumer preferences.
