Online auctions site eBay is to acquire the 'speedy delivery' company Shutl, signalling a bid to bring delivery times down to just one hour in the UK.
With same-day delivery services now becoming increasingly common in the US for ecommerce firms – eBay already offers similar schemes in New York and San Francisco, with another 25 US cities to be added in 2014 – eBay is clearly keen to be the first of its kind in the UK.
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Shutl currently runs a bespoke budget couriering service that can deliver items within a local area on the same day, with a one-hour window the aim for each delivery. It already works with retailers such as Argos, Warehouse and Maplin.
The eBay acquisition is expected to add services focused on the auction company's services, though Shutl – whose site already states it is "now an eBay company" – has already pledged to keep working with its current customers too.
"eBay is a technology company; we understand that retailers, brands and sellers of all sizes need a new set of solutions to deliver the kinds of experiences consumers expect in today's environment," said Devin Wenig, president of eBay Marketplaces, in a statement.
"We're making fundamental changes to our business that will put us in a position to be the right partner for merchants and the best place for people to shop – anytime, anywhere and on any device," continued Wenig.
According to eBay, 75 per cent of goods are purchased by people within 15 miles of their home.
