HMV in Portsmouth is introducing personal shoppers to make visits safer

The shop in Commercial Road will open again on Monday, having shut down at the start of lockdown in late March.

Non-essential stores are allowed to reopen from June 15, provided it is safe to do so, the government announced last month.

Music reatiler hmv has revealed it will have a number of safety precautions in place to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

Hand sanitiser stations will be made available to all customers, who will be required to apply it before handling merchandise in the store to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The retailer has also put in place a number of additional measures to assist with the reopening, making it easier for customers to ensure they can shop safely and efficiently, including a ‘personal shopper’ service and a ring and reserve service.

The new ‘hmv List and Leave’ service will enable customers to drop off a list of the items they wish to purchase (whether Blu-ray or DVDs, vinyl, CDs, books or merchandise) and a member of the hmv team will select the items from the shelves and have goods collected, packed and ready for collection.

The shop is also launching a ‘hmv Ring and Reserve’ service that will follow shortly after reopening the stores will allow customers to call their local store to reserve in-stock items to be paid for and picked up later that day.

Tean members will also suggest recommendations based on customers’ tastes to make for a truly tailored experience.

In line with other high street retailers, staff across the business have undertaken training in how to maintain social distancing for customers while they are in the store, as well as instruction on hygiene, the use of PPE equipment and till processes that will shorten queues and make for a more efficient in-store experience. Till screens and social distancing signage have been installed across the whole estate.

The retailer already offers a ‘Click and Collect’ service across all of its stores for those who want to select and pay for their items online and pick-up at their local store. Customers can pay online, select a store to collect from and will receive an email when their goods are ready for collection.

SEE ALSO: Full list of McDonald's that have reopened in and around Portsmouth

Any undamaged returned items (where customers have ordered in error for example) will be quarantined for 72 hours before being they are returned to the shop floor.

Doug Putman, owner of hmv, said: ‘Our teams have been working on plans to reopen since the day we had to close our doors. We’ve redesigned our store layouts so that customers can make their way through the stores, buy what they want and pay seamlessly, while maintaining spaces for those who want to browse while maintaining social distancing.

‘We’ve sought to keep as much of what people love about the hmv and Fopp experience intact and build on the experience whilst ensuring that customers can shop with us comfortably and confidently.’

In addition, hmv has put in place a number of measures which include:

- Social distancing measures throughout each store, with clear two-metre floor markings

- Personalised service with a limit on the number of customers in-store at any one time

- Appropriate PPE equipment will be made available for all colleagues in line with government guidelines

- Screens at all open service areas

- Enhanced cleaning processes across stores

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