Chronopost to use French tobacconists as delivery points
La Poste parcels subsidiary Chronopost is to use a network of 3,000 French tobacconists as delivery and pick-up points for customers ordering online.
The new ‘Chrono Relais’ service is a payable option for clients who will not be at home to receive packages during the day and find a nearby tobacconist more convenient than visiting the post office. Tobacconists are also open longer hours.
Clients will also be able to drop-off parcels at the tobacco outlets, to be picked up later by Chronopost, and pay for sending them.
“This will be a complement to our network,” said Chronopost president Thomas Lot, presenting the service yesterday. “There are 14,000 post offices, but also 30,000 tobacconists, so we wondered how we could work together.”
Next year, Chronopost expects to move around 20,000 parcels a day through the tobacco shops and kiosks, which would amount to around 8% of the La Poste company’s total volume.
Tobacconists are delighted with the opportunity to earn new revenue, reported Agence France Presse, since the sale of tobacco is to be increasingly regulated and smoking banned in public places.
