THE POST OFFICE UNVEILS COMPLETE HOME SHOPPING OFFER TO E-DELIVERY MARKET

THE POST OFFICE UNVEILS COMPLETE HOME SHOPPING OFFER TO E-DELIVERY MARKET

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Story Filed: Thursday, February 01, 2001 9:20 AM EST

Feb 01, 2001 (PR Newswire Europe via COMTEX) — The Post Office, the UK's biggest deliverer, revealed today the perfect solution is close at hand for companies perplexed about how to achieve a proper presence in the burgeoning home shopping market.

The Post Office, for the first time, unveiled its complete package of home shopping services – from warehousing to fulfilment, customer management to direct marketing expertise, and internet security – at the E-Delivery Expo and Conference in London today.

The Post Office's Marketing Director of Home Shopping, Nigel Moore, said: "The Post Office can now provide a one-stop shop for e-tailers, high street retailers, and manufacturers wanting to sell directly to customers, who need their distribution process taken care of from `end to end'. Royal Mail, Parcelforce World-wide and Post Office branches are trusted brands of The Post Office, and experts in logistics and supply chain management with global reach.

"The Post Office's comprehensive range of home shopping solutions mean companies can stop worrying about the overwhelming task and often heavy investment involved with integrating fulfilment, delivery, and customer relationship management, and instead stick to what they're expert at," said Mr Moore.

"The challenge to those involved in the home shopping industry is to provide a seamless shopping and delivery experience so that consumers keep coming back," he explained.

"The Post Office is a trusted home shopping partner as it delivers mail and parcels to the 27 million addresses throughout the UK everyday, no matter how remote. It is at the forefront of providing innovative solutions offering choice, convenience, and value to consumers that no other delivery company can do."

Mr Moore added: "The Post Office has exciting future plans in e-delivery to continue to meet customer demands for speed, reliability, choice of destination and timed delivery as well as managing returns, facilitating direct marketing, managing warehousing, on-line security and customer service.

"E-tailing is becoming a multi-billion pound industry and The Post Office is embracing e-commerce and demonstrating its leading position as an innovator in the industry."

To meet the ever-exacting demands of both retailers and consumers, Parcelforce World-wide last year launched time-slot deliveries to 9pm, now available throughout the vast majority of England, Wales, southern Scotland and Northern Ireland.

"The time-slot delivery choice provided an added dimension to the home shopping industry. Nearly 100 retailers, both catalogue and internet, are now offering this extended delivery service to their customers," Mr Moore added.

A trial enabling consumers to nominate their local Post Office branch as an alternative address for the delivery of parcels, packages, and items requiring a signature is underway.

Royal Mail's Special Delivery service is increasingly being used by internet companies specialising in light goods such as books and CDs because of its value for money, guaranteed delivery and online tracking attributes.

The Post Office's Group Managing Director, Distribution Services, Kevin Williams, also presented the complete package of home shopping services and ways in which The Post Office is embracing the internet at a meeting of the Freight Interest Group, chaired by Conservative Party vice chairman Steven Norris.

This think-tank of senior logistics experts meets regularly to review developments in the distribution and logistics world.

Mr Williams said: "The increasing role of the internet in everyone's lives and a greater flexibility in services being demanded by businesses and consumers alike has made postal authorities across the world sit up and take notice.

"The Post Office has not stood still and is embracing new technology and e-commerce and is embarking on new strategies to give its customers an even wider range of distribution services, both on a UK-wide and global scale."

Note to Editors:

:: The Post Office has an annual turnover of GBP7,522 million and employs 200,000 people. It comprises three well known brands: Royal Mail, Parcelforce Worldwide and the network of around 18,000 Post Office branches.

:: The Post Office's ambition is to establish itself one of a handful of key global distribution companies.

:: Since January 1999, The Post Office has invested approaching GBP600 million in international acquisitions and joint ventures to achieve this aim.

:: It is embracing new technology and e-commerce and is embarking on new strategies to give its customers an even wider range of distribution services on a global scale.

:: Parcelforce Worldwide's new National and International Hubs at Coventry, together with the introduction of new software throughout the UK parcel network, are vital steps in continuing to meet the needs of customers into the future.

:: The Institute of Transport Management has just named Parcelforce Worldwide its Express Home Delivery Company of the Year 2001. The awards committee commended Parcelforce Worldwide's comprehensive structure, through its links to Royal Mail and the nationwide network of Post Office branches, for the secure and swift delivery of goods.

It also praised Parceforce Worldwide's "visionary strategy in investment," highlighting the Twin-Hub development at Coventry and the introduction of the very latest in hand-held, touch-screen technology to its fleet of delivery and collection vehicles.

:: Further information about the E-Delivery Expo and Conference can be found at http://www.edeliveryexpo.co.uk.

Contact: The Post Office, Tel: 020 7250 2468 (24 hour), http://www.ukpo.com)

This press release is transmitted on behalf of The Post Office.