Several Victorian newsagents shared with me their frustration about newspaper delivery failures yesterday. here is one:
I am dumbfounded after my attempts to find out where our paper deliveries have got to today.
I was advised by NDS customer service that they cannot contact the driver to ascertain when we might receive the delivery, nor can they ensure that the driver delivers the papers and where applicable, magazines directly to the shop front. We are left in limbo not knowing what to expect.
On Thursday just gone, not only were the papers late but our magazine delivery was also late. We have a staff member start work early on a Thursday to ensure that magazines are on sale as early as possible and there are obvious costs wasted when magazines are delivered late
It is becoming an issue as to whether it is viable for us to stock newspapers as the combination of space taken, effort required to manage them an time spent attending issues such late and non delivery of papers outweighs the pittance they earn for us.
Here is another:
Good morning folks, once again we face a disastrous morning for a newsagency.
We happen to be away on holidays and our poor staff have no papers at 9.15 on a Saturday morning.
No communication at all, no notifications from anyone.
I could share more, but they are the same message – no papers, no communication, time wasted in the business, angry customers that erodes trust in the local newsagency business.
The failure of News Corp and Nine Media to get newspapers to newsagents, and to home delivery customers, consistently and on time must be a factor in the future of the print product.
What a mess.