Jenlist Distribution, the business responsible for creating and supporting the newsagents network of Optus resellers for the last fifteen years has today gone into voluntary administration. Here is their announcement in full:
Dear Valued Retailer,
This is an important email.
As you would be aware, after 15 years of servicing the General Route market on behalf of Optus Prepaid Mobile, Optus/PPS propose to terminate the agreement during July 2013, as they are able to do, between Optus/PPS and Jenlist Pty Ltd (Trading as Jenlist Distributors).
Optus/PPS, as they are able to do, seek to enter into fresh arrangements with you, directly between you and Optus/PPS.
Unfortunately Jenlist Distributors advise that due to the proposed termination, we find ourselves in a position where we are unable to continue to operate Jenlist Distributors and write to inform you that Jenlist Distributors has appointed a voluntary administrator today, 11 June 2013.
We deeply regret the inconvenience and impact this may have on your business. I would like to personally take this opportunity to thank you for your patronage, trust and friendship over the years and wish you the very best of business in the future.
Action going forward:
The Administrator needs to talk with Optus/PPS on 11 June 2013 to provide the opportunity for Optus/PPS and also the Administrator to discuss the position. The decision to appoint an Administrator has been made by myself as sole director of Jenlist Distributors. Optus/PPS have not been consulted. The Administrator has suspended trading to allow time for the Administrator to talk to Optus/PPS on 11 June.
I think it is unlikely that Jenlist Distributors will re-commence trading, but that is up to Optus/PPS and the Administrator. From 11 June 2013, Jenlist Distributors has ceased to accept orders to supply stock.
My job is to assist the Administrator and to take instructions from him, assist our staff, assist you, assist creditors and suppliers, assist Optus. We will continue to operate office staff to collect money owed to Jenlist Distributors, and respond to any issues you have relating to you and Jenlist Distributors, and also stock we have supplied. It will assist if you will quickly pay any money owed to Jenlist Distributors.
Contact details:
Jenlist issues – For all issues between you and Jenlist Distributors, in the first instance, please email (preferred) sales@jenlist.com.au or call (less preferred) 1300 781 758 or 02 4739 6131.
Optus/PPS issues – For all issues relating to Optus product call PPS on 1300 307 979.
For Administrator – The Administrator is David Levi, Levi Consulting Pty Ltd. Carolyn Rowe from the Administrator’s staff will be on-site at the Blaxland office. Contact Carolyn Rowe on crowe@leviconsulting.com.au (preferred) or call 1300 781 758. Otherwise, contact Maria Clemente from the Administrator’s office (Sydney) on mclemente@leviconsulting.com.au
Very sad for a supplier we had only good dealings with. I suspect it will limit the options available to newsagents to offer their customers technology based products.
Although I understand this is as a result of a restructure of their own supply channel, it is a message loud and clear that the challenge for the newsagency channel is as much for suppliers as it is for retail outlets.
And yes I am doing something about it.
This is extremely sad but clearly the Big Players are under extreme financial pressure to have to eat their children.
Eventually, when enough customers wake up, we will break down the mono/duopolies. Might be some time however, Russia is still going 90 plus years………..
I wonder how Optus/PPS are going getting retailers to sign up to the new contracts?
Here is the Response to the credit that I have with Jenlist looks like I have lost my hard earned money to another supplier, for having a prompt payment policy.
Thanks for your email.
The landscape has changed arising from the appointment of the administrator. Prior to the appointment of the administrator, if you requested a cash payment for the credit balance it would have been sent to you. Arising from the unexpected appointment of the administrator, the credit balance is an unsecured claim. The administrator has indicated that cash refunds cannot be given for unsecured claims. I think it is unlikely that you will receive any value for the unsecured claim in the future. Jenlist is currently in administration and I expect that it will go into liquidation. So, you will have an unsecured claim against the company going into liquidation and that claim is unlikely to have any value. Please respond if you have any other issues.
As an aside I have an obligation to communicate that Optus/PPS are interested to communicate with you and other businesses to develop a relationship and if that is of interest to you, you should contact PPS on 1300 30 79 79
We understand and regret the difficult position this has created for you but unfortunately this is now beyond our control.
Interesting isnt it Neil, if you owed jenlist money the administrator would want to know you then hey? Every time this happens the retailer is stuck with all the work. Darrell Lea, Kat Kards and now Jenlist. With DL and KK I had credits with both. KK administrators were very understanding of this and we came to a mutual agreement. DL administrators however did not care about any credits due. I struggled to pay the outstanding amount but did so installments. Turns out I have overpaid them by nearly a $1000.00. Guess who is chasing the money back? Maybe I should employ the same debt collector they put onto me…..
We’ve almost certainly lost somewhere in the order of $1700 with Jenlist.
We received the same email as Neil and the statement that “Prior to the appointment of the administrator, if you requested a cash payment for the credit balance it would have been sent to you” is completely false. We requested such a refund before an administrator was appointed (and have the documentation to prove it) yet not payment was sent.
What disappoints me is that given the extent of Jenlist’s liabilities it is reasonable to assume that they could foresee a precarious financial position and failed to advise us. Had we known they were staring down the barrel we would not have returned all the stock. At least we would still have the phones to sell.
Jarryd make your case to the Administrator as their obligation is clear.
We have Mark. Their advice is that we are unlikely to receive any money.
same situation here jarryd, i should have kept the stock and sold it, they owe me credits as well. bit disappointed that jenlist let things get to this stage, they appeared to be strong supporters of the industry, while it suited them i guess.
I had a credit approved but was tardy returning the stock so I still have it on hand which now seems to be for the best….if I can somehow sell it.
The other option is to make a complaint to ASIC.
I still can get Optus stock from another company called Yes Distribution. have been with them for years. PPS contract has too many T&C in the back.
I received an email yesterday from James Simiadis I think selling Telstra hand sets . Is this the new Jenlist or a different company , has anyone else received the email .
I’ve received the same email Shaun. James has obviously got a big set if he expects agents to buy phones from him. How many people got caught with stock they can’t return or credits owed to them?
How’s that saying go about “catch me twice”?
Shaun its a different company. My understanding is he’s an employee.