My blogging this weekend has theme – the impact of online and mobile technology on the newsagent model and the lack of interest newsagents have in that impact. My purpose is to try and draw attention to decisions which need to be made by newsagents today so they have relevant business models for years to come. From what I see, newsagents are in denial. This is in part fuelled by poor coverage in industry journals on such matters.
This post is about lotteries. The image (top left) is from the Tattersalls website. Tattersalls offers tickets for sale to anyone anywhere – if there are location restrictions they are not obvious. Golden Casket also offers tickets online but to Queensland residents only. Golden Casket offers a small trail commission to retail lottery agents who support this initiative. Tattersalls offers nothing. NSW Lotteries, SA Lotteries and Lottery West do not offer tickets for sale online.
Selling lottery products online is efficient and easy. This business will grow and while lottery retailers will not see an impact for a year or two, the impact will come.
Given the importance of lotteries in driving traffic to newsagencies, this is another area of our businesses which needs consideration today – especially given the considerable investment in the required lottery specific sales counters.