ASOS has become the second customer for the Connect Group’s Pass My Parcel service which was launched in October 2014 with Amazon as the first client.
The click and collect service for ASOS will be trialled in 20 retail outlets initially before being rolled out across the remaining 3,000 over the coming months.
Connect is now planning the launch of a mobile enabled returns collection service, with a QR (Quick Response) code sent to customers’ mobile phones, as the next step in its strategy to grow Pass My Parcel.
The group said in a trading statement for the 19 weeks to 9th January: “Pass My Parcel delivered an excellent operational performance over the peak Christmas period remaining on track with its current expansion plans.
The group, formerly known as Smiths News, said total revenue increased 6.4 per cent on last year, including the contribution from the Parcel Freight division following the acquisition of Tuffnells in December 2014. Total group like for like revenues decreased 2.3 per cent.
Connect Parcel Freight saw total and like for like revenues both increase by 12.1 per cent with continued positive market growth and new customer wins.
In the Connect News & Media division, the newspaper and magazine distribution operation, saw total revenues decrease by 2.7 per cent and like for like revenues decrease by 3.7 per cent. The group said newspaper performance was in line with recent run rates and magazine run rates continued to improve.
Media total revenues increased by 2.5 per cent while like for like revenues increased by 1.8 per cent.
Connect Books saw total revenue decline by 0.8 per cent, while like for like revenues increased by 1.2 per cent, through a sustained focus on more profitable contracts as part of the efforts to reduce costs and increase margins. In Connect Education & Care, total and like for like revenues both increased by 0.1 per cent.
