From a brand perspective, Shutl blasted off in December ’09 at Le Web in Paris;  the day our website went live and we made our ambitions public.

Prior to Le Web, we’d only shared the Shutl identity with a very select group of key constituents: retailers, couriers and shoppers (mainly family and friends). It received positive feedback, with people warming to its retro charm.  It felt to us like we were laying the foundations of a great digital brand of the future.

So why, less than 2 years later, are we about to rebrand?

1.  We now know who we need to engage and how

Shutl’s current identity was developed to a creative brief determined by what we thought the business’s needs would be.  The trouble is that at the time that brief was written there was no business! Just a bunch of assumptions, and aspirations…

Now, 2 years in and with a bit of practical experience under our belt, we are in a good position to re-evaluate those assumptions.  We know exactly who we need to engage with and, more importantly, how we should go about doing it.  Our business is B2B2C, and our brand needs to speak to both consumers and retailers… albeit at different levels.

2.  We know what brand assets we require.

In re-evaluating our requirements, we scoped out a “brand toolkit” (assets, iconography, guidelines, etc.) that we deemed necessary for the job.  Our first stop was to see whether we could deliver on all these elements with the existing identity. The conclusion was that as much as we love our brand, it doesn’t give us the flexibility we needed.

Critical to Shutl’s success is generating sustainable value and competitive advantage for the retailers that we serve.   Whilst Shutl has proven attractive to higher value customers, retailers can only truly benefit if they communicate the proposition effectively within their customer journey.

In order for a retailer to attract/convert customers off the back of Shutl, shoppers first need to be aware that the retailer offers the service!  To that end our identity and proposition needed to be able to take the form of a badge that could be displayed (proudly!) on their websites and any other channels they offer the service across.  It has to be able to occupy its own space so that it is both distinctive and consistent in appearance, irrespective of the background it is displayed against.



3.  We need to remove the barriers

Having deployed our brand identity across a bunch of major high street names, we’ve met with a couple of grumbles over and over again… namely that the shape and colour of our logo and icons were awkward and didn’t sit comfortably with incumbent elements of their webpages. These grumbles only present us with barriers to making our service more ubiquitous.  So we had to remove them.



4.  Sooner is better than later

Although we are unwaveringly intent on world domination, Shutl is currently still only offered by a handful of UK retailers.  It seemed prudent, therefore, that if we were to rebrand then we should do so sooner rather than later. Whilst only a small percentage of UK shoppers have interacted with or are aware of Shutl, the cost of change to our business (in terms of lost brand equity) is relatively small.  It is also relatively painless for our retailers given that there are currently only a small number who have integrated Shutl with their channels, some of whom are already working on new and improved implementations of the service.


So when will the new identity be launched?  With a bit of luck sometime in early November, though the exact date is till TBC.  Of course, we’ll all be very sad to move on from something that we’ve nurtured over that last few years, but we’re confident that version 2.0 will better equip Shutl for the future.

Over the coming weeks we’ll be tightening up the sprockets, so keep your eyes peeled and prepare for lift off…!

Following the launch of our service in Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Edinburgh over the summer, today we’re delighted to announce a further roll-out to Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff and Liverpool!

A huge welcome to shoppers living in and around these 6 cities!   As of today you can now choose Shutl delivery from Karen Millen, Oasis, Coast and Warehouse.

Don’t panic If we are not yet delivering in your area or from your preferred shops!  Instead, drop us a comment with your nearest town and the names of the retailers you would most like us to be working with.  We’re currently seriously hard at work expanding both our coverage and our retail partners, so your input would be most welcome!

The delivery revolution is gathering momentum…

After a long summer, September is synonymous with back to school and knuckling down … and looking at the Shutl calendar, it looks like we’re going to be very busy indeed! Here’s some of the stuff we’re up to:

Retail Systems Multichannel Retail Summit
Tuesday, 13th September 2011 @ The IOD Hub, London
FREE for retailers and consultants

Tom will be joining many leading industry experts to discuss the shortcomings of traditional delivery methods and illustrate how delivery can become a means of improving conversion, increasing AOV and enhancing the shopping experience. He will then share details of Shutl’s first clients, results to date and future plans.

BOOK NOW



Retail IT: Celebrating 10 years in Retail!
15th September 2011 from 16:00 to 18:30 @ The Fashion and Textile Museum, London
FREE for retailers and partners of Retail IT

Tom Allason (he gets around) will be joining a hostof industry speakers and Retail IT partners to discuss current delivery trends and how these are shaping the future of the industry. He’ll also demonstrate how “putting the rocket into retailing” can deliver long-term, sustainable competitive advantage for retailers of all sizes.
BOOK NOW

The Retail Conference 2011
21st September 2011 @ America Square Conference Centre, London.
FREE for retailers

Now in its 5th year, this event attracts some 300 delegates from the UK’s leading retailers and is consistently oversubscribed. David Tarbuck, Multichannel Development & Operations Manager at Argos, will be sharing best practices in multichannel fulfilment, talking about their partnership with Shutl and the results it has delivered to date. His keynote seminar will look at:

• How such a service is made possible
• What it was like to implement
• What the impact has been on Argos’ business
• What customers are saying about it…

This is a unique opportunity to hear from Argos, the dominant force in UK multi-channel retailing, and discover how they’re innovating to ensure they can meet their customers’ wants and needs in the future. Oh yeah, and Tom will be speaking too… what a slut!
BOOK NOW

Muse!  Pulp!  Jimmy Eat World!  It all kicks off at Reading and Leeds tomorrow, and we’ve got festival fever.  Of course, your boss has just handed you a pile of work because you’re taking Friday off and you’re going to be in the office until at least 8…  And you only discovered last night that your tent is mouldy and you have nothing to wear.  Luckily, Shutl are looking out for you!  Order from your essentials from Argos, get a quick makeover at Oasis, and snap up a bargain at Warehouse – all within 90 minutes!

1. Shelter

If you need a tent, you can’t go wrong with this stylish pop-up number. It will save you time pitching so you can arrive is style and get right into partying.  It’s distinctive enough to stand out from the crowd, without screaming “steal me” and best of all, it’s less than half price!




2. Sleep

If it suddenly looks like the flimsy summer sleeping bag you packed just isn’t going to cut it, and have no space to pack wooly socks and a hat to sleep in, upgrade your sleeping bag to a 500gsm – it’s like a cocoon shaped hug, protecting you from the elements as those around you shiver in the August downpours.

3. Fashion

If you just can’t get your head around Wellies, and are confident you’ll be able to blag your way into the carpeted bliss of the VIP section, these boots will look fantastic with some shorts and a vest top. What’s more they will last you all the way though autumn! Team them with this amazing cardy, and you’ll be the chicest chica in the arena!




Finally, if you’re really stuck for something to wear, there is always that fail-safe festival favourite – the humble playsuit.  Comfortable yet stylish, it allows you to get a tan without stripping off, and you can piggy back on your mate’s shoulders without giving everyone trying to get a glimpse of Jarvis Cocker an eyeful! We love this one from Warehouse: and with the special offer on at the moment; it could be Shutl’d to you for just 90p!

Available exclusively to tradesmen, TradePoint offers highly competitive, trade-only prices across a huge selection of leading brands. From tools and supplies to kitchens, bathrooms and appliances, TradePoint caters for the needs of just about any job.





In partnership with Shutl, TradePoint customers can now order via phone and receive delivery within as little as 90 minutes, or choose a 1-hour delivery window of their choice, same day or any day. The service operates 7am-9pm Mon-Fri, 8am-9pm Sat, and 11am-5pm Sun, with customers able to arrange delivery to any location within the M25, including site or home (provided that somebody is there to sign for it). Ordering couldn’t be simpler:


1. Call either:
• Beckton TradePoint on 02087091122
• Enfield TradePoint on 02083624722


2. Place your order using the TradePoint catalogue


3. Pick either Shutl now or Shutl later


4. Confirm the total price and pay over the phone


5. Sign for your delivery when it arrives.





For more information and to sign up to TradePoint, visit www.Trade-Point.co.uk .