Brands are taking services beyond their own stores

Furniture returns, deposit refunds and coffee purchases are moving beyond the buildings that once housed them. Self-service hardware and partner networks can now support more services without a full store or dedicated team. This gives brands a way to reach people in places they already visit, while saving customers a special trip.

IKEA has piloted its furniture buyback programme through Droppie, a Dutch recycling chain. The service previously required customers to visit an IKEA store. Now, they can bring used IKEA furniture to a Droppie location and receive a gift card in return, without travelling to an IKEA showroom. The pilot shows how a retailer can take one part of its in-store service and hand it to a specialist partner while preserving its value for customers.

SDR Portugal is introducing high-capacity Volta kiosks designed for hospitality businesses rather than individual consumers. Each machine can process up to 120 bottles a minute, allowing bars and restaurants to return beverage containers in bulk and receive the 10-cent deposit refunds through an app. The format suggests that deposit-return systems are developing separate infrastructure for different users: standard machines for the public and higher-capacity collection points for businesses.

Starbucks and Suntory have launched the coffee chain’s first dedicated vending machines in Japan. Stocked with four ready-to-drink products, including limited-edition flavours, the machines place Starbucks coffee in train stations, offices and other locations that may not support a full café. Vending becomes a standalone distribution channel, allowing Starbucks to extend its presence through machines as well as physical stores.