Next reopens online operations amid Covid-19 crisis

Next has announced the reopening of its website after a two-week shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The company made the decision to temporarily cease online orders on 26 March after concerns about the health and safety of its warehouse employees were raised.

The fashion retailer will resume online operations today (14 April) in a “very limited way”, with only products from its childwear and home items being available.

The company has also introduced a limit on the amount customers can order in a day, with the website converting to ‘browse only’ when orders reach a “safety maximum”.

Next said: “Operations will start with support from colleagues who are willing and able to safely return to work.  The idea is to begin selling in low volumes, so that we only need a small number of colleagues in each warehouse at any one time, helping to ensure rigorous social distancing is complied with.

“To achieve these limited volumes, Next will only allow customers to order the number of items that it believes can be picked safely on any given day.  At that point we will then stop taking orders and convert the website to ‘browse only’ until the following morning.”

Next had temporarily closed its operations, following government regulations to close all non-essential shops earlier that week (March 26).

At the time, the retailer said it had made the “difficult decision” to temporarily close its online, warehousing and distribution operations for the foreseeable future.

The retailer added that it had “listened very carefully” to employees working in warehousing and distribution operations, and noted it was “clear that many increasingly feel they should be at home in the current climate”.