Optus announced Friday that it will move to managing its retail partner network directly, just as Vodafone decided a few days earlier. This disappointing decision by Optus brings to an end a long-term association between Optus and Jenlist – a supplier which has been important to newsagents, delivering excellent service and leading many newsagents to make good money selling Optus handsets and SIM cards.
True to their professionalism, Jenlist communicated with newsagents in a timely and clear manner:
Dear Jenlist Retailers and Industry Partners,
Optus, and its subsidiary, Prepaid Services, have made a decision to directly manage distribution of Optus Prepaid products to Jenlist Distributors Retailers from 11th July 2013.
Therefore, Jenlist Distributors will not be able to supply Optus Prepaid products to you from the 11th July 2013.
Prepaid Services are currently contacting Jenlist retailers for arrangement of the supply of Optus Prepaid from 11th July 2013.
Until then, Jenlist Distributors will continue to supply and deliver Optus Prepaid up until the 10th July 2013
Jenlist Distributors thanks you for your ongoing business for the past 15 years, and we look forward to continuing the supply of our wide range of products available to you, including unlocked mobile handsets & accessories, torches, batteries, and power & computer accessories.
You can continue to place orders with Jenlist:
· on our web site, www.jenlist.com.au,
· via phone, 1300 781 758
· Fax, 1300 781 759
· or your Jenlist Sales Representative.If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me personally:
James Simadas
Mobile: 0411 683 131
Email: james@jenlist.com.au
So no more middle man does that mean we will make more money out of A sale now ? or is that a dream
Asking for your input. I am attending a ‘free’ marketing day session in Brisbane tomorrow (Sunday) with Mal Emery as the host. I am hoping to pick up a ‘few’ marketing tips and expecting a bit of ‘hard sell’ about how Mal can teach you his marketing skills. Has anyone been to any of Mal Emery’s sessions?
He’s very froth and bubble. Not a fan.
Shaun I suspect this is more about what Optus makes than us. I’d like to be wrong.
Very disappointed to hear this,I’ve had nothing but excellent customer service from the team at Jenlist and my one attempt at contacting Optus prepaid services about recharge margins resulted in a “Your Jenlists customer and not ours so we don’t want to know about you” response. Now they’ve decided I am their customer I’m going to have to think long and hard about weather it’s worth it. The margins on phones are to small to put up with arrogant and unhelpful service from your supplier.
im starting to wonder if the margins on phones are worth it,maybe just stick to recharge and use the floor space for something else.
The only reason we can justify selling mobile phones is the additional margin we make on recharge vouchers. I wonder if Optus has any plans to alter the current arrangements?
Optus may find they have trouble filling the shoes of what is considered one of the best suppliers in the industry.
am guessing we will lose margin on recharge anyway, it will become less relevant as more people use their phones to recharge online. I plan on passing on all merchant fees when tyro get that sorted out so that the terminals can work it out and charge the actual fee to the customer. so if I lose margin on recharge while disappointing wont be the end of the world, don’t have to carry any stock, if they use a card the customer will pay the fee, doesn’t take much time so no big deal really. give handsets the flick and put a chips/snack stand in, pretty sure it will make more money and less hassle and less outlay than handsets anyway.
not good news for James at jenlist tho, he has been a solid supporter of Optus over many years and they just crap on him like that, its a shame business is such a dog eat dog world, be nice if we could all share things around so we all make a living.
I am very disappointed in this move my Optus but I guess business is business in their (Optus’s) view. I met James a few years ago when he came into my shop whilst on holiday and convinced me of the merit of having mobiles. I have never looked back and have had nothing but professional service from him and his team each and every time I have dealt with them. They are far and away one of the best suppliers I have had to deal with and I make no apologies if I sound sycophantic. It is what it is. I will continue to deal with Jenlist for other items but I am real disappointed by this decision by Optus. Thank you James.
Yes, this is a lower margin product but the sale of accessories and recharge help to make your shop more of a one stop option rather than an also ran.
We have had the misfortune of dealing with Prepaid Services. By far the worst company we have ever delt with, they are incompetent and incapable to service the newsagent industry. We will be stocking only telstra from now on.
I’d advise ever one to have a good look at the new PPS contract before signing it. Recharge margins on phone recharge are dropping from 8% to 6% for phone retailers and on return stock you are limited to returning 5% of the value of the previous months purchase value. On top of that you will be charged a 25% restocking fee,ie you return $100 worth of stock and get a $75 credit. They have got to be joking,I’m a dedicated Telstra agent as at 11/7/2013.