Webshop Primark crashes at launch

The virtual crowds at the launch of Primark‘s webshop were so great that the site immediately crashed. The fashion chain is – finally? – taking its first tentative steps with click and collect.

Overwhelmed by crowds

Primark has started a pilot project, testing click and collect in 25 stores in the north-west of England and the north-east of Wales. Customers can now order part of the product range – specifically children’s clothing, toys and childcare items – online and collect the order from their store a day or two later. This is a small trial, after Primark had resisted e-commerce for years.

Soon after the launch, however, complaints rained down on Primark’s social media channels: many customers were unable to place orders because the site was (partly) not working. Customer service also appeared to have crashed, as demand was much higher than expected.

“It’s been great to see so much interest in the launch of our new Click + Collect trial. We’re aware that some people have had issues accessing the website this morning and we’re working hard to address this to ensure that everyone can access and browse the site easily,” a spokesperson told The Guardian.

Complementing stores

The online range initially covers 2,000 items, many of which are available exclusively online and not offered in smaller local stores. There are no delivery charges, but Primark does work with a minimum order value of 15 pounds.

The physical stores will always remain the core of the business, CEO Paul Marchant stresses. Online shopping therefore only serves to complement and support the shops, for example so that customers with a smaller branch nearby can still access the same large range as those living in a big city.