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Fieldfisher advised on eBay on the extension of their Click & Collect partnership with Argos after a successful pilot phase.
The Click & Collect scheme, which debuted in September last year originally allowed a select group of 50 professional eBay sellers to send items for collection at 150 Argos shops instead of buyers' home addresses. This "clicks and mortar" solution is at the cutting edge of retail thinking as the sector finds new ways to make the online shopping channel relevant to the high street.
Following the end of the successful trial arrangement, eBay shoppers will soon be able to pick up their items from over 650 Argos stores around the country. If the extension of the scheme proves to be successful it will be made available to 65,000 eBay sellers by the end of the year, rising to 80,000 in 2015. The deal is seen as of significant strategic importance for both parties.
Fieldfisher technology partner Simon Briskman and senior associate David Lewis were instrumental in the negotiations.
Commenting on the transaction, Simon Briskman said:
"This is an exciting extension of eBay's offering to UK buyers and sellers. We already had a tremendous relationship with eBay in Europe. Our Brussels team have worked on the L'Oreal case and a range of other work for eBay. In the last year, we have strengthened our relationships through London and Palo Alto too. This is the largest deal we have done for eBay through London to date, and we are tremendously proud and excited to have played a part. eBay chose us for our proven ability advising on the entire channel from web terms and privacy through platform issues to warehousing, distribution and retail models. We continue to build real momentum in the technology transformative aspects of retail."
Wragge Lawrence Graham (Richard Smith, Director and Caroline McNally, Senior Solicitor) acted for Argos.