By Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association CEO Ben Kearney.
Convenience stores and newsagents’ unique status as trusted, physical hubs in the local community puts them in a perfect position to use the online world to their advantage.
More and more convenience stores and newsagents are starting to play in the online economy, from selling their wares on the latest delivery apps to boosting their reach via social media.
Consider the Redfern Convenience Store in Sydney, for example. The store’s Instagram account has more than 25,000 followers through its combination of unique products and friendly, local attitude.
Local delivery is now easier than ever with a range of players offering services including delivery, pick-up, parcel tracking, same-day delivery and instant delivery. Convenience stores and newsagents around the country are catching on and offering everyday items for fast local delivery and for collection.
Convenience stores and newsagents can play well in this space, but the real trick is figuring out how to offer more online-based services and keep them profitable at the same time.
Read the full column in the September/October issue of Convenience World.
