New delivery partnership puts spring in step of JD Sports’ Dutch customers

Europe’s leading sports fashion retailer has announced a new partnership aimed at improving deliveries to its growing customer base in the Netherlands.

JD Sports has boasted that the tie-up with Spring UK – the international division of one of the world's biggest mail and parcels solutions providers, Post NL - will provide even greater flexibility and reliability for Dutch consumers.

Pierre Dassonneville, the retailer’s International E-Commerce Manager, said that the appointment of Spring UK represented a “strong sign” to shoppers that they now had a delivery partner which they could trust.

“As well as a rise in footfall at our stores across the Netherlands, we have seen tremendous, sustained growth in online orders from customers in the country over recent years. We know that getting the delivery element of our operations right is critically important, both to help develop our e-commerce operation and support the reputation of the brand locally on an even wider basis. It seemed an obvious choice to us, therefore, to work with Spring UK because they give us access to the Post NL infrastructure, something which is very respected by Dutch consumers. More than merely being familiar, however, it means that we can offer the very best level of service available. In addition to Post NL’s comprehensive understanding of customers in the Netherlands, there’s a broad range of delivery solutions to suit their needs and that’s something which we’re very excited about.”

JD Sports has experienced dramatic growth since being founded with a single store in Bury, Greater Manchester, in 1981 and is now part of a group comprising more than 2,400 stores, 28 of which are in the Netherlands.

Its high street expansion has also seen a spectacular increase in online sales to Dutch customers – up by 200 per cent in the space of the last 12 months alone – partially as a result of developing a Netherlands-specific e-commerce site (www.jdsports.nl). Under the terms of the partnership agreement with Spring UK, orders will be fulfilled from the retailer’s two million square foot distribution centre in Rochdale and injected into the Post NL delivery network.

Jason Love, Lane Manager with Spring UK explained that the benefits available to JD Sports’ customers included being able to take advantage of a smartphone app allowing them to track every purchase and, if needed, re-route deliveries to more than 3,000 PostNL pick- up points throughout the Netherlands.

He added that shoppers would have the added convenience of weekend deliveries from the most reliable carrier in the country.

“JD Sports customers are not just tapping into Post NL’s local knowledge but a technologically-advanced delivery platform which is very much shaped around the way that they want to receive products, whether that is to their doors or via a nationwide map of parcel shops - all of which are very visibly branded and none of which are more than 10 minutes from people’s homes. We’re delighted to have such a renowned retail force as JD Sports on-board and we’re very confident about being able to help them achieve their objectives of enhancing the customer experience by providing greater choice, visibility and speed in the delivery of their products.”

The deal is also likely to further swell the number of parcels handled by Spring UK, which is wholly owned by Post NL. In the run-up to Christmas last year, it saw volumes rise by 25 per cent compared to the same period 12 months previously.