Melbourne is the next focus of the people creating the ParcelPoint parcel pickup service for newsagents. This newsagency software integrated service will make it easy for newsagents to offer and manage the service from within their software. Parcel Point gives newsagents an Australia Post competitive offer. It costs nothing to take on and the space requirement is minimal.
I’d urge newsagents to watch this introductory video and then Express your interest here. If you are in the Melbourne suburban area now is the time to move. ParcelPoint will use other retailers in areas not covered by newsagents.
I’ve signed up and have been advised I could be operational in 2-3 weeks. If this takes off, and the time and circumstances indicate it should, newsagents have been handed a great opportunity. I believe that in the real early days newsagents were not so enthused about lotto and look what it turned out to be to those who took it on. This is a no risk opportunity as far as I can determine and we should be backing it.
Its all about profit and I can not see how this will be profitable. It will be labour intensive as the parcels will have to be kept out the back in most shops, this means your staff member will have to leave the counter to get the parcels and for what return will we get? I am not sure on exact amounts but it must be greater than the staff wage for that time spent getting the parcel, processing it in and processing it out. I am sceptical, but would love to be proved wrong.
Chris, I have so manage and sell 5 daily papers to make what we will on one parcel. More importantly it is a point of difference that won’t pop up everywhere as we do get a territory. We complain about AP moving into our products so why wouldn’t we compete right back where we can. If you stop doing everything that earns you less than a dollar you would decimate any newsagency.
Brendan, how labour intensive compared to this parcel process is the other areas where you make low commission. All I am saying is that for the time involved in actually doing this in your “average” newsagency I dont think there is any money to make unless they increase the level of remuneration to us. Their promo to us was it helps get customers into your shop that you can up-sell. How many times have we heard that before? I dont want low profit products that may possibly reap other high profit sales. Those days are long gone. The amount of times we have fallen for the “next big thing” for it to be a cost and time burden are over. Hopefully other newsagents can see this and make an informed decision instead of just jumping in.
MIGHT AS WELL JUMP IN AND IF NOT WORKING OUT JUMP OUT , SEEMS PRETTY SIMPLE TO ME ….woops caps on
Received my training kit today. Nothing scary about it and anyone who has operated an LPO will appreciate that it is not that time intensive. This deal looks FAR BETTER than the LPO’s have at present.
Brendan I also received mine today ,only noticed while doing my back ups for the day so I shall have a good look tomorrow
Chris with no risk and an opportunity to gain I don’t get why you would be negative. Given where this could go for newsagents it’s worth trying at least. Or do we spin our wheels on all innovation?
So we should do any new fancy thing that comes along? There is no risk but there will be a cost associated which I think is higher than the likely profit.
This is my personal business decision and I wish anyone who goes down this path all the best, I just want anyone thinking about this to do the maths and make an informed decision.
I think it is a fantastic idea, but one that has to be done with the right remuneration.
Chris where does the new fancy comment come from? Weird.
Newsagents should do their own due diligence on every business decision. Sadly many do not.
On ParcelPoint, the ease of getting in and getting out takes away a lot of risk and it lets newsagents learn for themselves what it would involve in their businesses.
Now, if you were talking about a deal involving a five year lock in contract it would be a different story.
Chris, there is a territory system to this. If the milk bar, servo or such next to you get it, you won’t is my understanding. Having said that, it is my understanding that newsagents are the preferred option so we should be looking at this opportunity in a positive way. Ask questions of Parcel Point and show due diligence but DO look at it and consider it, DON’T just write it off. As an industry we need a point of difference such as this.