Business & Technology
Osprey London boosts checkout with Ingrid delivery platform
JOSEPH GABRIEL LAGONSIN
News Editor
Osprey London has adopted Ingrid as its delivery and returns platform following its move to the Centra eCommerce system.
The British luxury brand said the new setup replaces a fragmented logistics structure that had limited the delivery options it could offer customers. Previously, it relied on generic service tiers and separate systems for delivery and returns.
That model became harder to sustain as shoppers demanded more flexibility at checkout, including a choice of carriers, more precise delivery windows and easier returns. The retailer also wanted to introduce services such as ship-from-store and exchanges.
“There was a fundamental shift in consumer expectations. It became critical for us to be able to offer ship-from-store, nominated-day delivery, accurate delivery times at checkout and exchanges,” said Ben Jones, Head of Ecommerce & Technology at Osprey London.
After migrating its webstore to Centra, Osprey London chose Ingrid to sit between its eCommerce operation and logistics providers. The aim was to gain more control over the checkout experience and create a single operational view across deliveries and returns.
Checkout changes
One of the biggest changes was moving from a single carrier for premium deliveries to a multi-carrier model at checkout. Osprey London said this shifted 90% of its UK delivery volumes to lower-cost services.
The change improved customer satisfaction and reduced logistics costs, though the retailer did not disclose the value of those savings.
Alongside adding carrier choice, Osprey London used checkout testing tools to review its free delivery threshold. It then raised the threshold from GBP £100 to GBP £150.
According to the retailer, the increase did not harm conversion rates and improved shipping revenue, suggesting it was able to change a long-standing part of its offer without weakening online demand.
Jones said delivery is now viewed differently inside the business.
“We’ve gone from delivery being something passive on the P&L to it being something we’re genuinely proactive about.
“With Ingrid, it’s now an efficiency driver, a revenue driver and a customer experience driver. That’s a big change for us – and a change a lot of brands still haven’t introduced,” he said.
Post-purchase focus
The overhaul also covered the period after an order is placed. Osprey London said it has changed its post-purchase communications so transactional and tracking messages now run through its own customer relationship management system.
That allows the retailer to present order updates in its own brand style rather than through external courier messaging. It also said the shift created new opportunities for up-sell and cross-sell activity in post-purchase communications.
For online retailers, delivery and returns have become a bigger part of the customer experience as acquisition costs rise and repeat purchasing becomes more important. Brands have been under pressure to improve convenience without letting fulfilment costs erode margins.
Osprey London’s approach reflects a broader effort among retailers to treat checkout, delivery choice and returns as commercial levers rather than purely operational functions. The company linked the new model to revenue, efficiency and customer retention.
Ingrid Co-Founder and CPTO Piotr Zaleski said the retailer had changed the role delivery plays in the business.
“OSPREY LONDON hasn’t just redesigned its logistics operations, it has reshaped its delivery mindset,” said Piotr Zaleski, CPTO and Co-Founder at Ingrid.
“What was once accepted as a cost centre is now a driver of customer experience, conversions and loyalty, which can evolve and grow with the brand. With the agility to test, optimise and refine its delivery offering, OSPREY LONDON can stay in tune with customer demands as they continue to evolve,” he said.
The company is also considering adding delivery-related perks to its loyalty programme, including free fulfilment, free returns and longer returns windows for members.
Business & Technology
Rosa’s Thai is giving away 4000 free Pad Thais to students
Celebrating both GCSE and A-Level Results Days, the chain will offer the popular dish to students who buy one of its bubble teas.
The free offer is available at all 42 Rosa’s Thai restaurants across England and Wales.
To avail of the free noodles, students need to register on Rosa’s Thai website for a unique code, which they should present at the restaurant together with a copy of their results.
Rosa’s Thai has a new range of bubble tea flavours, including Ube-Taro, Matcha-Coconut, Mango Sticky Rice, and Milo Chocolate Milk, as well as favourites like Home-brewed Thai Tea with Tapioca, and Lychee Mango with mango boba.
Students can sign up for their free Pad Thai at rosasthai.com/result-day-free-pad-thai and find their nearest restaurant at rosasthai.com/locations.
Business & Technology
Historic coin company enters administration after 20 years
The London Mint Office, which distributes commemorative coins and medals, appointed administrators on July 31 after 20 years in business.
The company’s website now displays a message confirming the appointment of Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP as joint administrators.
A spokesman for Alvarez and Marsal said: “On July 31 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of The London Mint Office Limited in administration (the “Company”).
“Regrettably, the Company’s liquidity challenges have led to a number of immediate redundancies. We are supporting the affected employees through the redundancy process.
What Happens When a Company Goes Into Administration?
“The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.”
The announcement confirms that it is no longer possible to purchase coins or medals through the company’s website.
The London Mint Office operates a distribution centre in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where it employs a significant number of people.
Administration is a formal insolvency process triggered when a business cannot meet its financial obligations.
An insolvency practitioner is appointed to manage the company’s affairs and may attempt to restructure the business or sell off assets to repay creditors.
What happens when a company goes into Liquidation?
Founded in 2006, The London Mint Office describes itself as “one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of historic, commemorative, and collector coins.”
It is part of Samlerhuset AS, a Norwegian company based near Oslo and one of Europe’s largest distributors of commemorative coins and medals.
Samlerhuset’s website states that it offers “provide a wide range of coins from ancient to modern, originating from virtually every country in the world.”
The London Mint Office has advised anyone with an interest in the company’s assets to contact the administrators at INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com.
Business & Technology
Warning of new rules for Aldi and Lidl after watchdog review
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that both discounters should be added to the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, which currently applies to Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.
This order is designed to prevent large grocery retailers from using land agreements to block competitors from opening nearby stores, often through restrictive covenants or exclusivity terms.
Juliette Enser, executive director of competition enforcement and markets at the CMA, said: “We want everyone to have the best choice of supermarket and range of prices when buying their groceries.
“To ensure this happens, we put rules in place to prevent big supermarket chains blocking rival stores from opening nearby – and now we propose applying those rules to Aldi and Lidl too.
“This is about allowing shoppers to choose where they spend their money and levelling the playing field for all major supermarkets.
“Today’s proposals are provisional and we welcome views before deciding the best way forward.”
The CMA’s review found that Aldi, Lidl GB, and Lidl NI now meet the criteria of ‘Large Grocery Retailers’ (LGRs) due to their store footprint, nationwide presence, procurement model, and the breadth of their grocery range.
Aldi and Lidl were originally excluded from the 2010 order as ‘limited assortment discounters’, offering a smaller selection of products compared to traditional supermarkets.
However, the CMA’s provisional findings indicate that this is no longer the case.
All three now operate large grocery stores, each with more than 1,000 square metres of shop floor space, and offer a full range of products, though with less category choice than some competitors.
They also purchase goods directly from suppliers through integrated wholesaling.
With the UK grocery market estimated to be worth £215 billion, Aldi and Lidl are now ranked among the top five retailers by market share.
The CMA is seeking feedback from stakeholders before reaching a final decision.
Aldi and Lidl could join the other supermarket chains later this year.
The CMA is inviting views until 5pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, and will issue its final decision in the autumn after reviewing responses.
If the discounters are included under the order, they will be prevented from using land agreements to limit competition from other supermarket chains.
The CMA aims to ensure competition across the grocery sector to give shoppers more choice and competitive pricing by removing obstacles to new store openings.
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