TNT Post UK, the largest private sector postal operator in the UK, told us that they have launched a new packets and parcels delivery service following demand from e-retailers, for a reliable and cost effective service to satisfy their expanding online customer base.
TNT has secured Guernsey Post as a client, which will see well-known high street brands use the service with their deliveries being handled by TNT Post UK. Current projected volumes are 17 million items in the first year of operation with the company targeting vendors who use websites sites such as Kelkoo and eBay to promote their products.
However don’t get too excited at the prospect of a competitor to Royal Mail. Firstly TNT are targeting businesses who generally have a minimum volume circa about 250 items per collection. That puts the service out of reach of most eBay businesses, but the volume requirements will also depend on format, geographic location and volumetrics (size and weight).
Our expansion into packets and parcels is a key part of strategic growth plan in the UK. We have applied our principles of innovation, customer service and value for money to this new offer. We aim to improve customer satisfaction and reduce costs. Online retail packets and parcel delivery is a growing trend within the postal sector and our focus is to be the main provider in this sector.
Nick Wells, CEO, TNT Post UK
There is no one sector that TNT Post will specifically target but CD’s DVD’s, toiletries, computer consumables are some of the sectors. Weight and format specifications will depend on the service .
Many retailers will be somewhat disappointed that the launch of a new service is probably unsuitable for them due to the volume requirements. I’m however more disappointed that the fulfilment will still be via third parties such as Royal Mail. However TNT Post UK, are the largest private sector postal operator in the UK and the chances are that once established they’ll start to eat away at the market share.
Doubtless TNT Post UK will also start rolling out “final mile” delivery services probably starting in the cities where they have the greatest mail volumes, in fact TNT Post have been running trials since way back in 2008.
File this under “One to watch” and don’t plan on jumping ship in the near future, not that is unless you’ve got a daily delivery volume of 250 parcels per day, in which case let us know if you’re going to trial the service, how much financial saving TNT Post offers you, and what the delivery experience is like.
5 Responses
Chirs,
250 parcels a day is not much at all, I would of thought lots of online sellers would do this volume, we do twice that a day on a good day and 300 to 400 on a bad day and we are not the biggest ebay seller of stationery and office supplies on ebay by a long way.
I would like to give a very big WARNING to anyone thinking of using TNT, we used to use TNT a year years ago and they used to take large letters and very small packets, the same principle was used as they are saying above, they collect the mail and sort it, then it goes to who ever they choose for final mile delivery, if it was royal mail that was fine, however PARCELNET now been rebranded to myhermes not good at all, drivers who dont card, drivers who dont give people time to get to the door, high levels of lost mail, very very very slow service. part time self employed drivers who if they could deliver would leave the order inthere van and try again, however they were part time so the order would stay in the van for days untill there next day on shift, they had a very bad reputation for all of this, my guessing the rebranding had something to do with trying to get away from this, are they better now, hmmmmmm.
U get what u pay for service wise, ebay customers want their goods fast, and if they dont they have a weapon they can use called DSR, my advice steer clear of TNT unless they pick up the parcel from you in their vans and deliver it to the customer in their own vans with their own staff.
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Clicking on the link to the size chart above, reveals a interesting length measurement under UK Parcels.
We use Interlink, and they are pretty good.