Store associates deliver onlineZumiez, the teen chain geared toward skateboarders and snowboarders, has launched a program that puts store associates to use delivering online orders directly to customers’ doors.

Rick Brooks, Zumiez’s CEO says the overall goal of Zumiez Delivery is to bring the chain’s “amazing salespeople” to customers’ front doors “to create a new kind of brand experience.”

Only about five percent of Zumiez’s online sales were delivered by Zumiez Delivery over November and December. The initial launch was limited to trade areas with multiple stores that could support the consolidation of orders. The chain fulfills all online orders with in-store inventory.

RetailWire Discussion: Do you see more pros than cons in delivery via store associates? Are certain retailers better positioned to take advantage of this type of service strategy than others? Join the discussion at retailwire.com

“I admire Zumiez for creatively deploying their employees to serve customers. Overall I think it’s a good idea, as long as you have employees who are willing and able to participate.

The big concern would be related to liability issues of having employees traveling around making deliveries, but these are manageable. While every retailer could theoretically offer this type of personal service, it doesn’t scale very well and so it wouldn’t be practical for every retailer.”

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Mark Ryski
Author, CEO & Founder HeadCount Corporation