Argos has opened its first new digital store in the north of England – in Manchester.

Selected from more than 700 Argos stores across the UK and Ireland, the store at the Manchester Fort Shopping Park is designed to showcase a new digitally-enabled way to shop, with new services such as the ability to prepay online for Fast Track store collection in seconds.

Customers can also access free WiFi and charge their smartphones or tablets using the free ‘charge bar’ available in the store.

Argos has given special training to staff, allowing them to help customers on the shop floor using technology. Meanwhile, tables of tablets have replaced the laminated paper catalogues, stock checkers and pencils found in traditional Argos stores.

Steve Farndale, regional general manager for the north region at Argos, said: “We’ve been committed to the Manchester Fort area for the last ten years and it’s fantastic for our local customers that this store was selected for a digital makeover.

“We’ve had really positive feedback from customers on the bright new modern look of the store, and the tablets and digital media screens. They have told us that they can really see the benefit of being able to pay online and collect quickly using the new Fast Track service. The revamped store holds 40% more products now, meaning that we can provide even more choice, more quickly, to our customers.”

Argos opened its first digital store last year, in London’s Old Street.