Delivery platform Buymie has secured its first partnership outside of the grocery market after linking up with DIY and garden retailer Woodie's.
Woodies' customers in south-east Dublin will be able to get same-day delivery from their nearest store through the customised 'Woodie's powered by Buymie' app from 10 October, with delivery in as little as two hours.
The service emulates the 'Asda Express powered by Buymie' trial the company ran with UK supermarket chain Asda in Leeds and Bristol earlier this year, making Woodie's the first retailer in Ireland to access Buymie's newest platform enterprise technology.
The app will be available via Google and iOS from mid-October, and existing Buymie app shoppers will also be able to shop with Woodie's.
The pilot is limited to south-east Dublin, where the company has three stores (Carrickmines, Sallynoggin and Sandyford), with a view to expanding nationally in the near future.
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Customers' chosen items will be picked and packed by a dedicated team of personal shoppers, who will then deliver the order to the user's home. Small to medium-sized products such as paint, tools, accessories and seasonal lines will be available through the service.
"Our online business has seen rapid growth in recent years and this partnership allows us to further build and grow our omnichannel proposition, keeping ease and expertise at our core," said Suzanne Quinn, chief commercial officer at Woodie's.
"This partnership with Buymie is an important step for us as we continue to find new ways to help our customers shop the way that suits them."
Devan Hughes, CEO and co-founder of Buymie, added: "We are thrilled to launch this trial with a household brand like Woodie’s who is keen to expand the same-day delivery offering to Woodie’s and buymie customers.
"This trial demonstrates Buymie’s wider ambition to bring the same-day, delivery model outside of the traditional grocery shopping space and to other areas in the wider retail sphere while continuing our commitment in delighting time-poor individuals."
Since its foundation in 2016, Buymie has grown to employ a core team of 70 with a network of more than 400 personal shoppers employed as independent contractors. The company has similar partnerships with Dunnes Stores and Lidl in Ireland.
The latest available accounts for Buymie Technologies Ltd show the company made a loss of €3.2m in 2020, bringing its total losses to just over €6m. Buymie issued shares of €7.9m during the year, with €4.4m in cash in the bank and on hand.
Woodie's, which has 35 branches in Ireland, is owned by Grafton Group and brought in retail revenues of €282.8m last year, an improvement of 14.7% year-on-year. Revenues at Grafton Group rose 25.6% to £2.1bn last year, with adjusted operating profit of £288m (+68.8%).
Photo: Suzanne Quinn (left) and Devan Hughes. (Pic: Conor McCabe Photography)
