Tag: Royal Mail

Catalogues are a hit with ‘Tech Generation’ of younger shoppers (UK)

Posted by | Sep 22, 2008 | |

Almost two thirds of young consumers use a catalogue to shop, new Royal Mail research revealed.

Royal Mail’s Home Shopping Tracker Study 2008 revealed that 54 per cent of all adults use catalogues, either for buying directly or helping them with online or in store purchases. But for the 16 to 34-year-old age group this figure is even greater at 62 per cent – demonstrating that the ‘tech generation’ of young shoppers is embracing catalogues in the greatest numbers.

The annual study also revealed that the 37 per cent of shoppers who consulted a catalogue before making purchases online in the past year spent 13 per cent more than those who did not. Online shoppers spent GBP 1,502 on average but the figure rose to GBP 1,694 for those who used catalogues first.

The research also revealed:
• 62 per cent of consumers now shop from home – the highest ever recorded level, representing a 35 per cent growth since 2005
• Online shopping grew by 13 per cent in the last year with 44 per cent of adults now shopping via the web
• 98 per cent of consumers are highly satisfied with online shopping, with convenience being the key driver for 69 per cent, ahead of price, which was singled out by 33 per cent of online shoppers
• 71 per cent of home shoppers and over half (56 per cent) of non home shoppers like to receive catalogues, most preferring to get them through the post
• One in three non home shoppers browse a catalogue for at least one store purchase
• 75 per cent of home shoppers keep catalogues as a reference source for prices, browsing and ideas – and two fifths keep catalogues for over four months
• 85 per cent of home shoppers say that they recycle their catalogues

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Search begins for successor to Royal Mail chief (UK)

Posted by | Sep 22, 2008 | |

The government has begun a search for a successor to Allan Leighton, the Chairman of the Royal Mail, who will step down from his post after seven years when his term expires next March.

Mr Leighton, Royal Mail’s longest-serving Chairman, took up the position at the state-owned group in March 2002, having joined the organisation as a non-executive director in 2001.

Mr Leighton believes the group is now in a strong position to recruit a new Chairman. Significantly, the Hooper Report on the future of the postal services market, by Richard Hooper, the former telecoms regulator, is due to be published next month. The report will examine the degree to which private capital should be involved in the service.

The government extended Mr Leighton’s tenure last year, ending a search for his successor after a number of unsuccessful approaches to several businessmen, including Sir Philip Hampton, the Chairman of J Sainsbury.

Industry sources said Mr Leighton, who has a reputation as a turnaround specialist, is likely to want to do one more “big job”. They said he had already fielded some offers.

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Gavin Macrae appointed Director of Market Development (UK)

Posted by | Sep 19, 2008 | |

Gavin Macrae has been appointed Director of Market Development at Postcomm, the postal services regulator. He will report to the newly appointed Chief Executive, Tim Brown.

Gavin joins us from Royal Mail Letters where he was Director of Product Marketing. He has more than 22 years experience of working in a variety of operational and commercial roles within Royal Mail Group, including leading on new product development and innovation.

Mr Macrae joins Postcomm on 20 October 2008.

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Post Office UK: Non-liners miss out on GBP 4.5 billion savings per year

Posted by | Sep 18, 2008 | |

Families with broadband can save GBP 70 per month through online access to cheaper household goods and services, according to new research from the Post Office. Those who are online paint a picture of a ‘broad-bound’ society as 96 per cent consider internet access to be a lifestyle necessity they could not live without.

Yet one third of UK households are missing out on these savings, and the wider benefits, because they are still not online. A total of almost GBP 4.5 billion of potential savings are being missed by non-web users each year, in what is a worrying effect of a deepening digital exclusion.

Broadband in the Home: An Analysis of the Financial Costs and Benefits was commissioned by Post Office Telecoms to calculate, for the first time, the financial impact of the UK’s digital divide. Fear of the initial expense of getting a PC and internet connection, or fear of online fraud, is actually deepening the digital divide amongst those who could stand to benefit most from getting online.

One year on from the launch of its broadband service, this research will inform the Post Office’s continuing work to get the digitally excluded online by improving accessibility and transparency.

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Royal Mail Group shakes up research structure (UK)

Posted by | Sep 18, 2008 | |

Royal Mail Group is dissolving its centralised research and insight function in favour of dedicated teams for each of its main brands: Royal Mail, Post Office and Parcelforce.

Crispin Beale, who led the Centre for Customer Insight & Competitor Intelligence as Director of Insight, Intelligence and Analysis, is to leave the company at the end of the month.

Sinead Jefferies will lead Royal Mail’s business intelligence team, with responsibility for research, insight, competitor and marketing intelligence.

A decision is still to be made on who will head up the Post Office research team, Beale said.

Dick Stead, Sales and Marketing Director for Parcelforce, will oversee research for that brand.

The restructure is not expected to lead to the scrapping of the 32-agency insight and analysis roster, which was appointed earlier this year to stand for a four-year period.

Beale said: “Different parts of the organisation have different research needs which need different skill sets, but all of those skill sets exist within the roster. I would envisage that the group will carry on working with that roster and won’t be needing to change it.”

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