Tag: New market / Developments

La Poste's plans to enter Indian market blocked

Posted by | Feb 8, 2008 | |

La Poste’s plans to enter the Indian market have run into a roadblock due to opposition from the postal department. GeoPost Group, the express parcel arm of La Poste, plans to tap the Indian market through a joint venture with Continental Air Express.

The Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) has put the joint venture proposal on hold due to objections from the department of posts. The postal department’s opposition adds yet another twist to the moves to restrict foreign ownership in this segment.

Apart from France, GeoPost has business interests in the express parcel and logistics segment in various countries including the UK, Germany, Russia, Spain, Poland, Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.

In Asia, the La Poste arm has business interests in China and South Korea. GeoPost’s was to take 60 pct stake in the proposed subsidiary while Continental Air Express was to hold the rest.

During recent deliberations at the FIPB, the department of post argued that La Poste is also a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) and is required to fulfill universal services obligations (USO) like India Post. Therefore, La Poste cannot poach on the creamy territory of the other, FIPB was informed.

The department has also pointed out that La Poste was a state-owned entity and investment by no such entity has been permitted in India so far. India Post, also a member of UPU, handles low-priced items like post cards and inland letters to fulfill its social obligations. GeoPost, on the other hand, plans to enter courier services like express parcel delivery which command a premium.

The postal department’s argument is that La Poste should also be ready to fulfill social obligations like the USO carried out by India Post. In any case, the department has been threatening to make small letters the monopoly of India Post and impose restrictions on foreign ownership in this sector.

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Wal-Mart launches online shopping tool for Valentine’s Day

Posted by | Feb 5, 2008 | |

Wal-Mart has introduced HelpaChickPick.com and re-introduced HelpaGuyBuy.com, online shopping tools that help customers identify the gift profile of their significant other, and then select the perfect gift to suit it.

“Valentine’s Day should be sweet, not stressful, but for many people frustration over finding that just-right present diminishes the romance of the day,” said Nick Agarwal, Wal-Mart’s vice president in corporate communications. “With Helpachickpick.com and Helpaguybuy.com, we take the guesswork out of gift-giving. This online tool helps our customers find gifts their significant others will cherish and save money while they treat their Valentine to something special.”

Customers answer short questions about the recipient’s personality and the sites will identify a corresponding category, such as fashionista or sports fanatic, and offer gift suggestions chosen just for them.

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Post Office launches new Christmas Club with ‘bonus’ for members

Posted by | Feb 4, 2008 | |

Customers joining the new Post Office® Christmas Club will receive a booklet of special offers worth at least GBP 100 to redeem in selected retail partners from November 2008.

The Christmas Club is now available at all 14,000 Post Office® branches nationwide offering customers a convenient way to budget for Christmas 2008.

We each spend an average of GBP 393 on Christmas presents alone, and according to research conducted by YouGov for the Post Office® many of us spend more than we can afford.

Forty three per cent said they felt pressured to overspend, and 24 per cent admitted they would still be paying for Christmas at Easter.

Planning and budgeting is the solution suggested by 83 per cent of the survey, but only 29 per cent agreed they set a Christmas spending budget and stuck to it.

With the Post Office® Christmas Club you can plan ahead, making pre-payments from just GBP 5 over the counter at any Post Office® branch using a special Christmas Club payment card.

From 1 November the card is unlocked, enabling customers to use it to buy goods and services directly at retailers, or to purchase retail gift vouchers. The maximum individual payment is GBP 500, up to a total of GBP 1,000 per card per annum.

Each club member will receive a great bonus booklet of at least GBP 100 in special offers with selected retail partners – a significant benefit compared to current rates available from high street savings account.

Post Office® marketing director Gary Hockey-Morley said: “As one of the UK’s most trusted brands with an unparalleled retail network, we are responding to the need for a convenient way for people to put money aside for Christmas.

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Emirates Post And Emirates Nationals Development Programme Partner To Boost Emiratisation In Mail Sector

Posted by | Feb 4, 2008 | |

Emirates Post Holding Group and Emirates Nationals Development Programme (ENDP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost Emiratisation in the mail sector through a series of measures, including a three-month ‘Postal Diploma’ programme, to be conducted by the Emirates Post Training & Development Centre, Dubai.

The new initiative was unveiled at a press conference addressed by H.E. Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Minister for Public Sector Development & Chairman of Emirates Post Holding Group, H.E. Ahmed Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of ENDP, and Mr. Abdulla Al Daboos, President of Emirates Post Holding Group. The joint initiative is in response to the directive of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President & Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on creating new opportunities for Emirati youth in various fields, especially in the private sector.

The MoU seeks to establish a framework for expanding cooperation between Emirates Post Holding Group and ENDP in providing training to Emarati youth in mail-related areas in order to boost Emiratisation. The Postal Diploma project has been designed to raise UAE nationals’ skills and professional capabilities for taking up positions in Emirates Post Holding Group and private sector companies engaged in mail activities.

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Agreement signed to boost emiratisation in postal sector

Posted by | Jan 30, 2008 | |

Emirates Post holding group and Emirates Nationals Development Programme (ENDP) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost emiratisation in the mail sector through a series of measures, including a three-month postal diploma programme, to be conducted by the Emirates Post training development centre, Dubai.

According to the MoU, the postal diploma programme will be for three months, at the end of which the candidate will receive a diploma endorsed by Emirates post holding group.

The new initiative, which is in response to the directives of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on creating new opportunities for Emirati youth in various fields, especially in the private sector, was unveiled at a press conference addressed by Minister for Public Sector Development and Chairman of Emirates Post holding group Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansouri, Chairman of ENDP Ahmad Humaid Al Tayer and President of Emirates Post holding group Abdullah Al Daboos.

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