Our service offering

ESPO is one of the country’s largest public sector owned professional buying organisations (PBO), specialising in providing a wide range of goods and services to the public sector for over 40 years. We offer a comprehensive, one-stop shop solution of over 28,000 catalogue products, 100 frameworks and bespoke procurement services, all with free support and advice available from our expert teams.

Being 100% owned by the public sector means that any surplus we make after recovering our costs is returned to the public purse.

Deliveries for stock products:

We offer either standard delivery or next day delivery on all stock items which are products stored in our warehouse (identified by their black, numerical codes) and we deliver across the whole of the UK.  
 
Free standard UK mainland delivery on all stock orders £25 and over (ex VAT) delivered within 3 working days of placing your order.

• Standard delivery is £5.95 for orders below £25

When ordering on our website, you may request delivery on a specific date and we will endeavour to deliver it on that day if possible. 

Free next day UK mainland delivery on all stock orders £50 and over (ex. VAT)

• Next day delivery on orders below £50 (ex. VAT) are £5.95
• Orders for next day delivery must be placed before 12noon

Free next day delivery is not available: 

• On pallet deliveries
• On products that are out of stock, or those with extended lead times
• For orders exceeding 150KG (unless agreed with Customer Services)
• Orders to Highlands and Islands

Delivery updates: 

When you place an order, we will send an order acknowledgment to confirm it. If any product is unavailable at the time of ordering, this will be noted in the acknowledgment. Despite our best efforts to deliver on time and in full, domestic and global supply chain disruptions may affect some products. Products not available for immediate dispatch will be sent with your next order once they become available. 

Sign up for order acknowledgements to stay informed about your delivery and any delays due to stock availability. Email registration@espo.org to register. 

Deliveries directly from our suppliers (products with A, X, N codes): 

These items are identified by their blue codes beginning with A, N, or X. These items have individual lead times and return conditions, shown throughout the ESPO catalogue and website. They will be delivered to the nearest undercover location.

• Delivery is normally between 1 and 6 weeks, depending on the product and time of year. 
• Up to date delivery times for each product can be found through the product search on the website 
• Orders much be checked immediately upon receipt and damages, shortages or incorrect items reported to the driver and to ESPO Customer Services within 24 hours.
• Delivery during school holidays can only be arranged if specifically requested when your order is placed, and if you provide your contact details. Please speak to our Customer Services team. 
• Some items will incur an additional delivery charge, if ordering online the charge will be visible in the checkout prior to placing your order. If ordering via other methods, our Customer Services team will confirm the charges to you prior to your order being placed with our supplier.

Ordering Direct Delivery items:

Please take care when ordering furniture as many of these items are bespoke and made to measure. Please note the following:

• Furniture items are mostly made to order.
• Order furniture items in plenty of time, especially if delivery is needed for September. 
• For Autumn term deliveries, we strongly advise that you place your order by May, to reduce the chance of delays. 
• Colour, sizes and finishes should be checked before ordering as changes or cancellations may incur costs.
• Printed colours may not be exact and samples are available on request.

Updates about your delivery:  

Product availability information is available on our website, and you can sign up for email notifications of any products listed as being out of stock.  
 
Your order acknowledgement will include details of any products not available for immediate delivery, or those that are discontinued.  
 
Products not available for immediate dispatch will be sent with your next order once they become available or when they arrive in stock.  
 
Sign up for order acknowledgements and delivery notifications to stay informed about your delivery and any delays due to stock availability. 

Email registration@espo.org to register your mobile number and email address.    

Returns, replacements and discrepancies: 

You can request a return or report a shortage within five working days of your delivery via the online returns form on our website or by calling Customer Services. Collections may be chargeable for items delivered directly from our supplier. Please refer to ESPO’s Terms and Conditions of Supply for additional information. 

A returned order below £25 (excluding VAT) for standard delivery or below £50 for next day delivery does not qualify for a delivery service charge refund unless the product is faulty.  

Need to speak to us?

Our dedicated and friendly Customer Experience team is here to support you. We aim to resolve your enquiries on the first contact, responding to emails within 48 hours and answering calls promptly. Our team are available to help from Monday to Friday from 08:00 - 16:30 (excluding bank holidays). 

Email ordering: orders@espo.org

Queries: 0116 265 7901   |   support:@espo.org

Visit our Contact us page for other useful contact numbers.  

Procurement support for framework solutions: 

We have lots of fantastic support available for our framework solutions.

Expert procurement teams:
Our Procurement teams provide support and guidance on accessing our framework solutions. Contact details for specific frameworks are available on each framework page, allowing you to speak directly with a team member via email or phone. Our staff have extensive category knowledge and experience, assisting with everything from template documents to specifications.

Customer Relationship Managers: 
For larger or more complex needs, our dedicated Customer Relationship Managers offer specialised support from initial enquiry to the final solution. 

Data Security:

All staff adhere to ESPO’s “Information Security and Acceptable Use Policy” and complete annual “Data Protection and Information Security” training. Our IT department ensures data security against unauthorised access, loss, destruction, or damage using appropriate technical and organisational measures.

Please refer to ESPO’s Terms and Conditions of Supply for more details.