In addition to the challenge of the $30 million OzLotto jackpot tonight taking some focus from Christmas product sales, some Tatts retailers have been yelled at by their Tatts regional territory manager in an email. I say yelled at because the email font is larger than is usual for a business email and the typeface is bold. It’s yelling in email terms.
Read what the Tatts manager wrote to the retailers yesterday:
Today I began visiting outlets to help promote the End Of Year Megadraw with them. I had [XXXX] (a territory manager from a different area) with me today and I was very disappointed that almost every outlet we visited had non Tatts products in the Tatts dedicated area. I understand that you all have a great deal of Xmas stock you are trying to clear, but you cannot use the Tatts area for this. I will be visiting many other outlets before Christmas and [XXX] will accompany me everywhere I go. Please clear your Tatts area – No 1 because we don’t want customers receiving too many “mixed” messages and No 2 it can make the Tatts area look very cluttered, untidy and uninviting. Remember, it is part of your franchise agreement to keep the Tatts Dedicated clear of all non-Tatts products.
This is appalling communication. Tatts should be leaving retailers alone at this time of the year. They should be doing everything possible to ensure retailers make the most money possible. This means selling higher margin gift lines, cards and Christmas decorations.
When I had a Tatts outlet, for ten years, I saw no evidence that a Tatts compliant counter and Tatts dedicated area delivered better results than a Tatts dedicated area with other products in the space.
Tatts demands no other products in their space without any business performance justification. All they have on their side is an unfair agreement.
In my own case I actively promoted Tatts products outside the Tatts dedicated area. That support did not win thanks of support from the company. All they cared about was their space, not their results, but their space. A fairer relationship would have seen them appreciate my extra support and thereby allow flexibility in how I used their space as long as it did not hurt their sales.
I think Tatts is a selfish company that cares little for its retail network.
I am happy I don’t have Tatts products in my business. It makes for a business over which I have more control.
I have had 3 reps over 7 years and all have been good when it come to the golden casket area . I keep it clean and uncluttered . I also have a fridge in their area and a few other bits and pieces , and have never had a problem . My argument for the fridge is it bring customers into that area that would have only just come in for a quick drink and then whammo they are seeing 30 million lotto posters in front of them and there is a chance of an extra sale .
I read this as “evidence collecting” by Tatts agents to further strengthen their case to allow other commercial entities to sell their gaming products.
I would love to have Tatt’s product selling in my area,the only problem is they have no xmass $5.00 or $10.00 left to supply me in Queensland.What a joke. A message came in from Tatt’s today telling us to stock up on them
Nothing behind the post Andrew T other than what I have written.