This test carried out in eight post offices in France, allows customers to try on their clothes ordered online. An idea that revolts the traders.
Facing “the rise of e-commerce”, La Poste adapts. And communicates. This already existed in Belgium, which has been the case in France for a few weeks, in several “new generation” offices.
Fitting rooms to try on clothes and other shoes ordered on the internet and return them immediately if the product does not suit have been installed. This is the case in Paris, but also in Brittany.
In Lannion (Côtes-d’Armor), in the post office of the quai d’Aiguillon “newly rearranged”, since its reopening on Monday, December 18, “a large fitting room” appeals to customers, reports Le Trégor. “Eight e-commerce modules have been installed throughout France”, explains La Poste, in a press release. Including this one, in Brittany.
To avoid customers from making back-and-forth trips
The principal, explains the operator of postal services (but also a bank, insurance, mobile phone operator, and online commerce …): “People who receive a package via La Poste, clothes or shoes, can thus, on-site, try them on before a possible return, which avoids them a round trip to their home”. A free service, available to customers, without registration or subscription.
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These are “parcel stations” so that customers can open their parcels, check the conformity of their purchases, drop off their packaging for recycling, try on the clothes bought online in a fitting room, and manage any possible returns of parcels.
La Poste
The idea is that online product orders are subject to a large number of returns by customers (about 20 to 30% of purchases would be returned after being bought on the Internet), as many trips between the post office and the home could be avoided. Enough to attract consumers to choose these post offices as a place to withdraw their parcels.
But also, thus, encourages customers to buy on the Internet rather than in-store. To the great displeasure of small traders.
For the post office, it’s an ecological initiative. But for the merchants of the affected cities, it’s a problem. “It encourages online shopping and contributes to killing small businesses,” complains a merchant from the city center of Lannion, interviewed by the Trégor.
Philippe Latronche, president of the association of merchants Lannion Heart of the city, says the same thing: “In rural areas, I can understand. But here, it’s almost a provocation,” he reacts.
For now, it’s only an experiment in eight offices, but the idea would be to install ten times more if the test was successful.
The Federation of Independent Retailers of Clothing, Textile and Personal Equipment (Allure) also posted its anger on the social network Linkedin: “It only lacked a fitting room in a 100% public company owned by the Caisse des Dépôts Group at 66% and the State at 34% for clothes bought on Vinted, Shein, Temu…”, it rages.
