It was good to see the ACCC block the takeover of a supermarket in Queanbeyan this week. Independent retailers are crucial to offering consumers competition on price, service and range.
It was good to see the ACCC block the takeover of a supermarket in Queanbeyan this week. Independent retailers are crucial to offering consumers competition on price, service and range.
I have recently taken over South Caulfield Newsagency Retail outlet.
The outlet location (near tram stops on intersections) invites a lot of customers wanting to buy Met Cards. The previous owner long before the business sale closed an account with Metlink to sell these for reasons unkbnown
Metlink when asked for a new account refused to open any new accounts. Reasons : 7 Eleven (situated far from Tram stops) sells these already:And no new accounts since MyKi is coming soon(dunno when!).
Anyway, having no Metcards has resulted in a lot of disappointed customer (usually in rush to catch a tram and having no change) and also a decrease in the foot traffic in the outlet.
Is it fair on part of Dept of Transpot to promote such monopolies ? Where should I take this concern?
femi
it is not the dept of transport that is responsible for the met tickets, it is the TTA. Myki is due to commence before the end of the year.
You would have to question the previous owner as to why he would close his account given your shop is outside a tram stop!!
Femi, I’d go back to them with evidecen of your location, take photos of your shop and how the tram stop is right out the front. measure the distance to the 7-eleven. Make a case. Let me know how you go as I may be able to help.
We have been trying to get Go Cards but they will not even have a look, after checking it out i was told that i would be on a waiting list,what got up my nose was the fact i was not told i would be on the waiting list untill i had done the ground work. If any one in QLD can help please post .They are now sold out of 7-11 garage and he does not want them and he tells me no one buys them .If you walking to the train would you go it a garage to pick up one or re load ,
D R, In Qld they’re available to Supanews franchises arranged by the State Gov.
Since their release, I’ve been asked twice for them and I have a bus stop out the front.
Why doesn’t he want them? Not much profit, etc?
Femi,
We have the same problem on the GC.
We have the busiest bus stop on the coast 100 metres away from our shop and yet customers have to walk 2km across a main highway to get them from a 7 eleven.
We have written to council only get a reply that they are currently reviewing their distribution arrangements.
Thanks Michael ,geting asked about 4 to 5 times a day form them.
Hi Mark,
We ended up making a case of how our newsagency location (at one of the busy Tram Intersection) is the most logical and convenient place to buy Metcards for commuters. We took this to the local newspaper ‘The Leader’. It got published on the front page of the last week issue of ‘The Leader’. http://caulfield-glen-eira-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/no-tickets-to-ride-in-caulfield-south/
After the published article, we have received support from the local community and from our regular customers in South Caulfield (especially senior citizens).Some have sent letters to the Editor, signed the petition and also questioned the claim made by Ticketing Authority that there are enough outlet around the 350 Metre area selling Metcards. Some senior citizens have asked whether ticketing authority gives a thought about what’s its like for the aged commuters to walk around 350 meters or to even use the ticket machines in the moving tram to buy tickets.
We contacted the TTA again asking them what they think about it now. But, they have refused to look into the case and made it clear that they will not open an account for the shop.
Disappointing, but we will keep on fighting. After all, its about the convenience of our customers!!