Very vs Argos, Amazon, Currys and Next: 2,000 brands, free returns and the trade-offs

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A new TV, a winter coat for the kids and a set of bedding usually means three websites, three deliveries and three sets of returns. At Very it can be one basket. The Liverpool-based online department store sells fashion, beauty, electricals, gaming, toys, home, furniture and garden products from around 2,000 brands, alongside its own collections, and serves around 4.2 million customers. It grew out of the Littlewoods catalogue business and launched as Very in 2009.

We've compared Very with four of the UK's biggest online retailers, Argos, Amazon, Currys and Next, on the things that affect what you pay and how easy shopping is: range, returns, delivery, collection and ways to pay. Every detail comes from each retailer's own website.

One basket, one account, one returns process

Very's biggest strength is breadth. A laptop, a pair of trainers, a skincare set and a garden chair can all go in the same order, with one delivery, one returns process and one account.

The others are more specialised. Currys focuses on electricals. Next is best known for its own fashion and home ranges. Argos is strong on home, toys and tech but carries far less fashion. Amazon sells almost everything, but much of its range comes from third-party marketplace sellers, so delivery times, returns and who you deal with can vary from item to item. At Very, you're buying from Very.

Free returns, with no postage to pay

Under Very's Approval Guarantee, most items can be returned free within 28 days of receipt, as long as they're complete, unused and in their original packaging. That's particularly useful for fashion, where ordering two sizes and sending one back is common.

• Very: 28 days, free on most items.
• Next: 28 days. Returns to a Next store are free, but postal returns cost £2.50.
• Argos: 30 days, and items bought from 23 September to 25 December can be returned until 31 January.
• Currys: 30 days for online orders, even if opened, as long as the item is in like-new condition.
• Amazon: most items within 30 days if unused and undamaged.

Argos, Currys and Amazon give you two extra days. Where Very wins is cost: unlike Next, you won't pay £2.50 to post something back if there's no store near you.

Delivery and collection that fit around you

Standard delivery from Very usually takes 3-5 days, and next day or nominated day delivery costs £5.99. Standard home delivery is currently free on orders of £75 or more, as part of an offer that ends on 14 October. If you order often, a Very Delivery Pass covers 12 months of unlimited standard delivery on online orders.

If you won't be in, parcels can go to thousands of shop and Post Office collection points or to 24/7 InPost lockers. Collection points hold parcels for 10 days, against seven days for Argos Click & Collect, though lockers hold them for only 3 days.

For comparison, Argos charges £4.95 for small items (free over £100), Currys delivers small items free over £40, Next charges £4.95 for next-day home delivery, and Amazon's fastest delivery is mostly for Prime members at £8.99 a month or £95 a year.

The Very app is worth downloading too: it carries app-only offers.

Where the others have the edge

Very isn't the right choice for every purchase:

• Same-day collection: Argos and Next have shops, so you can often collect the same day. Very is online only.
• Price matching: Currys will match lower prices from other UK retailers, including within 7 days of buying. Very doesn't advertise a price match.
• Loyalty points: Argos gives 1 Nectar point per £1 spent. Very doesn't run a points scheme.
• Speed for Prime members: if you already pay for Prime, Amazon's one-day delivery comes without a per-order delivery charge.

Who Very suits best

Very makes most sense if you want lots of brands in one order, free returns without a trip to a shop and plenty of ways to get your parcel. It's especially handy for families buying clothes, toys and tech at the same time, and for anyone starting their Christmas shopping early.

Your questions answered

Is Very the same company as Littlewoods?

Yes. Both are part of The Very Group, which is based in Liverpool. Very replaced Littlewoods Direct in 2009.

Does Very have shops?

No, Very is online only. You can collect from shops, Post Offices and InPost lockers instead.

Ways to save at Very

Very's current offers include up to 40% off selected new-in fashion, sports and beauty, up to 30% off home and furniture, and 20% off selected computing with code COMPUTING20 until 14 October. We've rounded up the six best Very deals this week, and you'll find every current offer on our Very voucher codes page.

Sources: Very, Very delivery, The Very Group, Argos delivery, Argos returns, Currys returns, Currys Price Promise, Next returns, Amazon Prime

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