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Would you like to sell Lottoland in your newsagency?

The folks at Lottoland have said they would like to work with newsagents in Australia.

I have had newsagents ask how they can do this, how they can sell Lottoland in their shop.

If you are interested in selling Lottoland in your newsagency let me know. Email me at mark@towersystems.com.au.

Given how Lottoland is sold and what is sold, I suspect the costs of being able to do this in-store would be minimal.

45 likes
Lotteries

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  1. BOB

    Do you think GC/Tatts will retaliate or sweeten their offer with current agency retailers if Lottoland go ahead with this?

    0 likes

  2. Brett

    If you sell Lottoland I doubt you will be allowed to sell Casket

    But if they let us then sure, why not!

    0 likes

  3. Chris

    No way, no more agency agreements where we are the ones being screwed to benefit other peoples business.

    0 likes

  4. Ted

    I have to do a fitout in 2019. If their fitout cost were more realistic and not absurd like Tatts then for sure I would go for it.

    0 likes

  5. pat

    Anything that rattles Tatts cage can only be a good thing.
    But hang on would that mean good old ALNA might have to actually do something now theyre in bed with Tatts.

    2 likes

  6. Pat

    You wouldn’t be able to sell tickets for Lottoland, at least not in Queensland, as it comes under betting regulation and I doubt any newsagents have a UBET or similar in store. Also the Lottoland license is for online gambling.

    As for Tatts, there is no restriction on promoting whatever you want outside their dedicated area. The problem for existing Tatts agents is that you might find yourself put under a microscope and there are a ton of things they can breach you on, outside of just the site surveys. And there is the no right to renewal after the term of the franchise is up that Tatts can hold over most.

    Lottoland could just use a referral/top up system like other online gambling sites. Perhaps offer a free tablet for customers to use in-store. Websites can join affiliate programs already to refer people to online gambling sites and get a commission but they are less than 5%. I think Lottoland would have to offer more than that to get newsagents interested.

    The costs for the newsagent would be minimal but if your business depends on Tatts it could cost more in the long run. Also there isn’t anything stopping Lottoland from providing the service to other businesses. If Lottoland can come up with a system that only promotes overseas lottery outcome betting then it could be more palatable for Tatts. And Lottoland has a larger margin on them to share some decent commissions.

    2 likes

  7. Michael

    I wonder how Tatts would feel if we were able to sell all overseas lotto games through Lottoland and continue to rely on Tatts for inside Australia gaming. That would be reasonable to everyone except Tatts im sure.

    4 likes

  8. ERIC

    Yes yes yes

    2 likes

  9. Brendan Mason

    Not having Lotto at all I would certainly be curious to see what they offer. While not really wanting to be an agency for suppliers it would be foolish not to know what they are about before making a decision.

    1 likes

  10. Mark Fletcher

    I am surprised by the response, especially the number of emails I have received. If Lottoland wants a retail presence in Australia it appears there are plenty in our channel with their hand up, including plenty looking to leave Tatts.

    7 likes

  11. ken

    SIGN ME UP

    0 likes

  12. Bill

    Ken in talking to other fellow agents I think most have had enough of Tatts and would jump at the opportunity. There is a lot of discontent in the camp at the moment, and they tend to turn a blind eye to all the unrest.
    It begs the question why have they let their relationship with agents get this low?
    Maybe they forget that they are sponging of other businesses mostly Newsagents as their model can’t stand on its own feet and need oxygen from other sources to survive.

    4 likes

  13. Paul S

    I haven’t sent an email yet but would jump at the chance to either run Lottoland versus Tatts or instead of Tatts if the offer was strong enough. I’ve just had the new Tatts refit and what we had to pay for that was criminal. The number of customers who when told that we had to pay for it asked why on earth were we paying for it when it’s advertising Tatts product has been phenominal. I think given the right push by Lottoland, Tatts could well see themselves without a retail base and without retailers willing to serve that base.

    7 likes

  14. HENRY HENDERSON

    The hope is that an arrangement with Lottoland could force Tatts to compete for their agents’ service thus giving the a the agents some bargaining chips.

    As things stand, there is only one constraint on what Tatts demand; that is, what is the least they can concede without forcing agents to quit during the transition to total online.

    It seems their judgement has gone astray with the latest refit shemozzle with so many agents quitting rather than having to pay for a refit. But maybe not, it could be planned attrition in order to gradually make playing offline more and more inconvenient and thus forcing players online.

    In any case, it would be madness not to explore what Lottoland has to offer.

    1 likes

  15. Ken Wilson

    I find it humorous that Mark has put an enormous amount of work in regards to the factual position of newsagencies that provided Q1 results with not one comment…. Yet, he puts out this fake news on Lottoland and sparks a lot of interest….need for change-no response, want more of the same..yes please, we’re excited.
    Lottoland’s stated position from their website.I Get that Lottoland’s Different –

    So What’s the Deal?

    Lottoland does not have any “brick and mortar” outlets. All transactions are carried out, safely and securely, online.

    9 likes

  16. Mark Fletcher

    There is no fake news in my post Ken. In fact, no news at all. So, your use of this Trump term is wrong.

    What’s the deal? The deal is plenty of newsagents crave an alternative to Tatts. While they feel hurt by Lottoland’s mocking, they are interested in the alertnative it could offer.

    6 likes

  17. Bob

    I really don’t know how ‘hurt’ i am by the Lottoland mocking. I think their depiction is an accurate representation of the typical attitude i received when visiting newsagencies as a consumer back in the late 90’s/early 00’s.

    7 likes

  18. Ken Wilson

    But there is no offer from Lottoland Mark. In fact you say Lotteries are a waste of time therefore why would you put fake news out there? Wouldn’t newsagents be better positioned concentrating on real things they can do in their business?

    9 likes

  19. Mark Fletcher

    Ken there is no news in my post. Your repeated fake news claim is nonsense.

    You comment as if this post is the only thing I have written about. It is not, as you well know.

    Plenty of newsagents have expressed interest. That is interesting.

    You lost your newsagency businesses, what do you care anyway?

    7 likes

  20. Ken Wilson

    Mark, repeatedly, as soon as someone has a questionable point of view you go down the personal attack road…. thats’s very Trump. You asked for people to contact you if they were interested in selling Lottoland product…for what reason? For one you say lotteries and agency business is a waste of time, secondly with the way you’ve dished all over Lotto land I’m sure they haven’t asked you to be their representative. So why are you asking folks to contact you about it?

    9 likes

  21. Mark Fletcher

    You are wrong, again Ken. I welcome different views. If I didn’t I’d not allow them here. What I don’t like is you making a claim that is false. You say my post is fake news. It is not fake news. There is no evidence of it being fake news.

    I am not going to tell you why I invited people to contact me if they are interested in selling Lottoland.

    I have not attacked you, only sought to understand your interest since you lost your newsagency businesses.

    Footnote: stop typing your email address into the website field for your comments as I have to remove them because the link you create does not work.

    11 likes

  22. Amanda

    It’s a fair enough question Mark.

    If you have not been contacted by Lottoland, then why write the article and have people contact you with their email address?

    There is an agenda behind your question, why not just explain what that agenda is?

    I think most newsagents would consider any alternative, so I don’t see the need for people to contact you in order to gauge numbers.

    10 likes

  23. Ken Wilson

    Amanda, there is no alternative with Lottoland, they are in the new world where Newsagents and Tatts ( that relationship, not the Tatts online sole focus) is in yesteryear. My initial amazement was that Mark releases a whole lot of fact full data about where the newsagency industry was in the last quarter and not one person seemed interested as there were no comments therefore it probably means no desire or action. THEN, I see the post about Lottoland ( can’t see them interested in doing anything with newsagents ) and the interest level goes sky high. A key to being successful in business is to stay absolutely focussed on where you want to head and don’t waste your time being derailed about issues that probably won’t happen.
    For the record I use my own name, I have been a successful business person over 30 years. I made the mistake of getting into the newsagency business as it was falling over the cliff. That was my decision, my bad timing and I lost millions as well as losing some suppliers money. But it was one mistake in an otherwise successful business life….my responsibility…My interest is for others not to do the same or lessen the loss.
    PS. Mark, I’ve deleted the auto fill email address that has annoyed you.

    9 likes

  24. Mark Fletcher

    Ken the email address did not annoy me. It annoyed those who clicked on it and found ti was not an email address.

    Your businesses failed because you did not embrace change. You ran traditional shops for the most part when traditional was long dead.

    While the channel is called the newsagency channel, those having success are not acting as newsagents in the most part of their businesses. This is key.

    On your business collapse, my recollection is that creditors were out of pocket close to $2 million. Included in the list I saw was major suppliers to our channel and a bank, maybe two and the ATO. Ultimately we all pay for that.

    10 likes

  25. Ken Wilson

    Mark, fake news again. It is my email address. I wasn’t running any traditional newsagency…far from it…I embraced change long before it became fashionable. How you can say my stores were traditional belittles you trying to belittle me. See, I already declared my position, I accept all bad and good. Lets try it the other way…How many millions did you tear up with Sophie Randall, how many hundreds of thousands did you tear up at Watergarden? Would you like to declare wether your newsagencies in Westfield and Know Shopping centres are profitable, cash flow positive, meet all of the staff and rent percentages you claim make a successful newsagency? Would you like to declare how much money is tipped in from your other business interests to support your newsagencies to keep up the image that you are the guru and everyone else should follow. Folks, remember Jonestown!

    11 likes

  26. Mark Fletcher

    Ken, the businesses were traditional: papers, magazines, lotteries etc.

    Sophie Randall lost little. Learn heaps. Loved it.

    Knox and Southland are profitable and cash flow positive. Everyone has been and is paid including staff, ATO, landlord. Leases have just been renewed. No money tipped in.

    Watergardens closed after seven years because I would not agree to an unreasonable lease. No money lost.

    But this is not about me. My post is about Lottoland.

    10 likes

  27. Ken Wilson

    Now I know Mark that you have no honesty in your replies..its all about you!
    When you profess to be the guru… preaching to the throng that you are experiencing unbelievable growth in an industry where your followers will be struggling is an insult to them and you set yourself up to be the target.
    A little lesson for you in regards to social media… stop engaging with people who know as much as you!

    8 likes

  28. Mark Fletcher

    Ken I do not profess to be the guru. I have never said my stores are experiencing unbelievable growth. What I have done in various public forums for years is share transactional data: revenue, GP and unit sales by department and category. Unimpeachable data.

    You imply you know as much as me. Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t know what you know. I know you don’t know what I know.

    What I do know is that your newsagencies went down with close to $2M in debt including to suppliers. You then left the channel. Yet you keep coming back to this place to agitate your opinion. While that is your right, people need to understand why you do it as you left the channel having failed.

    I met you when you had just taken over Werribee and offered help. You said no you had all the answers. Through my software company I also offered advice on how you were managing data (not managing actually) in your distribution business. You said no thanks, you knew better. On both counts it appears you did not know better, as your fellow shareholders, creditors, employees and banks found out.

    This thread has been hijacked. My post is about Lottoland. They offered to work with newsagents. That was reported in mainstream media. I asked here who would like to work with them. For some reason you are upset at that. It’s like you can’t work out why I asked the question and are angry at that.

    10 likes

  29. Colin

    Shades of Donald … Rumsfeld not Trump

    0 likes

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