POST OFFICE REPACKAGES ITSELF – new range of home shopping services
New life could be breathed into Britain's post offices if a new range of
home shopping services proves successful.
The Post Office unveiled a complete e-delivery package last week, from
warehousing and fulfilment to direct marketing and customer management.
One of the new services being trialled in South West England at the moment
is a service that allows people to have packages sent direct to a local post
office of their choice.
According to Nigel Moore, marketing director of home shopping at The Post
Office, the service will be rolled out nationally in the summer if the
trial proves successful.
"We've got more than 180,000 post offices throughout the UK, and nine out
of 10 people live within a mile radius of one.
"This service is potentially very exciting, and will offer a convenient
delivery option for people. it also means we'll be bringing customers into
the post office who don't normally need to go there. They'll go in and, we
hope, spend some money in the associated shop," says Moore.
The range of services is intended to offer all retailers, whether they are
high street brands moving into home shopping or pure-play Internet companies,
a one-stop logistics service.
The Post Office – to be renamed Consignia at the end of March – has
invested £14million to bolster its position as the leading online delivery company.
It already ensures safe despatch of six out of 10 Internet orders in the UK.
"What we want to do is offer the complete logistics service for retailers,
so they can concentrate on developing their product and marketing it. They
can use us as the bricks part of the bricks 'n' clicks equation. We can
administer their returns process, inventory management, offer call-centre services and payment facilities – everything you could want as a retailer going into home shopping," says Moore.
One of the major criticisms of shopping on the Internet is that the system
falls down on the point of delivery. If you happen to be out when your
package arrives it is often taken to a sorting depot that may be in the middle of nowhere and difficult to get to.
The Post Office has introduced an evening delivery service, from 5pm to
9pm, as well as a morning slot between 9am and 12 noon. About 100 companies,
including Homebase.co.uk and Ocean Home Shopping, are signed up to the service.
"We're in a great position because we are a very familiar brand. People
trust the red vans and blue uniforms. what we're after is an unparalleled range
of delivery options to enable people to shop from home. That's when home
shopping will really take off," says Moore.
Another option being considered by The Post Office is secure boxes outside
homes, where parcels can safely be stored.
This is a sector where competition is hotting up. Last week Dynamid, one of
the UK start-ups working on creating a network of home and office delivery
boxes merged with a US operator, ByBox, that has a similar concept using locker
banks.
Meanwhile, Dynamid has been trialling its network of "intelligent" delivery
boxes in locations around the South-east over the past year. Dan Turner,
Dynamid's chief executive, is hoping that the merger will persuade
delivery companies and major chain stores to adopt boxes or lockers as their
preferred delivery method.
So it looks as though the Post Office will have its work cut out.
CAPTION: 004#JUST A CLICK: The new service will take the strain out of
home delivery for net shoppers#Picture: tony stone#COUNTERS: The Post Office
will build on its familiar image £Picture: HULTON DEUTSCH
EDITION: 1ST
PAGE: 001#005
SECTION: MONEY
EXPRESS ON SUNDAY, 04th February 2001
