Very transfers fashion returns to East Midlands fulfilment centre

The Very Group has completed the migration of all its clothing and footwear returns to Skygate, its automated fulfilment centre in the East Midlands.

The 850,000 square foot fulfilment centre, which launched the day the first national lockdown began in March 2020, has shipped 20 million items and over eight million orders since its first full year in operation. 

Furthermore, the group said the transfer signifies “considerable benefits” for customers, with returned products available for resale within 30 minutes and refunds being provided “faster than ever before”.

The online retailer has processed more than 750,000 returned items at Skygate since the three month-long migration from Raven Mill in Chadderton, Greater Manchester, operated by Clipper Logistics, began in April 2021. 

Phil Hackney, chief operating officer at Very, said: “Across the retail industry, clothing and footwear return rates tend to be higher than for other categories, but also simpler to process. 

“Bringing them under the same roof as our fulfilment operation at Skygate, where they can benefit from our market-leading automated technology, makes perfect sense for our customers and our business.”

He added: “Faster refunds and making returned product available for resale more quickly will create an even better customer experience and support our continued growth as we head into the crucial Black Friday and Christmas periods.”