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Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi rides
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Author:  StuartW [ Fri Aug 31, 2018 12:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi rides
Co-op in Cranbrook to offer free taxi rides home

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/weald/news ... ng-188947/

A supermarket is adopting a novel way to encourage shoppers into its store – a free taxi ride home.

Cranbrook’s Co-op will be one of the first nationwide to trial the scheme, which will replace its current home delivery service.

Under the proposals, customers will still have to make their own way to the High Street store, but those who spend a minimum £25 and live within a five-mile radius will be offered a cab home without having to pay an extra penny.

Shoppers living up to 10 miles away, such as those in Headcorn and Staplehurst, can still benefit with a £3 fee to hitch a lift when the scheme is introduced on Monday, September 10.

Bosses say the change is being made in a bid to help draw more business to the town and surrounding area, while also making shopping easier especially for parents with young children, the elderly and disabled customers, who may struggle to get to and from the store.

One local customer said: “I can see how it will be useful to the elderly, and others who cannot drive.”

The service will be run by a third-party taxi company, who will be in charge of making sure cabs are prompt and running efficiently.

The Co-op has run similar services before, employing taxi companies to deliver groceries to customers, which was trialled in Manchester.
Author:  StuartW [ Fri Aug 31, 2018 12:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
Quote:
The service will be run by a third-party taxi company, who will be in charge of making sure cabs are prompt and running efficiently.


Not sure I like the sound of this. And no doubt the fares the Co-op are offering to the firm are being cut to the bone.
Author:  edders23 [ Fri Aug 31, 2018 1:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
can't see it being profitable if the fares are between £5 and £10 then they would need a big margin on a £25 shop unless they have somebody lined up willing to do it for 50 to 60p a mile
Author:  StuartW [ Fri Aug 31, 2018 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
edders23 wrote:
can't see it being profitable if the fares are between £5 and £10 then they would need a big margin on a £25 shop unless they have somebody lined up willing to do it for 50 to 60p a mile


Certainly on the longer runs either the Co-op or the taxi firm are doing it for nothing - free up to five miles :shock:

And if I'm reading it right the customer is only paying £3 on a run up to ten miles? :shock: :shock:
Author:  bloodnock [ Fri Aug 31, 2018 2:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
What would the Co-op make of giving away a free weeks worth of shopping to every customer who arrives and leaves by Taxi?

Can't see them warming to that idea much.
Author:  StuartW [ Mon Oct 01, 2018 3:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
Looks like the scheme is spreading - North Wales now.

This North Wales Co-op is offering free taxi home for customers - these are the conditions

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/bu ... g-15221479

The chain is to trial the new service from its store in Gwynedd

A free home delivery taxi service is set to be trialled at a Co-op store in North Wales.

The community retailer has confirmed that it will extend its cab trial to 12 UK stores by the end of the year.

This will include the Co-op in Dolgellau, Gwynedd.

It means customers and their shopping can get a free lift home in a taxi.

The conditions are that they live within a five mile radius of the store and shoppers have spent £25 or more in-store in a single transaction.

Taxi firms are vetted to meet strict standards, with the customer agreeing a mutually convenient time for the shopping delivery, and lift home.

Co-op said the home delivery service proves particularly popular amongst those who wish to go out into the community to do their shopping, but may struggle to carry their purchases home.

Chris Conway, Co-op Head of Food Digital, said: “Retailers need to be increasingly agile in their operations, and the Co-op is committed to exploring new ways to innovate which can create increased consumer choice, ease, speed and convenience.

"While it is still very early days, the response from customers and colleagues has been extremely enthusiastic, with many 'hailing' the new taxi scheme and added convenience a huge success, going so far as to describe it as a life-line which helps to overcome social isolation in our local communities.”
Author:  edders23 [ Mon Oct 01, 2018 4:47 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
The community retailer has confirmed that it will extend its cab trial to 12 UK stores by the end of the year.

either they have done their homework and got VERY good deals with the ph firms or someone has persuaded them to trial an expensive gimmick
Author:  grandad [ Mon Oct 01, 2018 5:21 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
Some of the wording worries me. It says a free shopping delivery service and a lift home. Are they likely to use unlicensed vehicles to deliver the shopping and the person can get in if they wish ? A bit like the pizza delivery ones that deliver your pizza and offer the customer a lift.
Author:  Sussex [ Mon Oct 01, 2018 7:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
I suspect they will use licensed firms, and those licensed firms will do the work for peanuts.

More fool them.
Author:  edders23 [ Mon Oct 01, 2018 7:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
grandad wrote:
Some of the wording worries me. It says a free shopping delivery service and a lift home. Are they likely to use unlicensed vehicles to deliver the shopping and the person can get in if they wish ? A bit like the pizza delivery ones that deliver your pizza and offer the customer a lift.



Quote:
Taxi firms are vetted to meet strict standards, with the customer agreeing a mutually convenient time for the shopping delivery, and lift home.
:wink:
Author:  grandad [ Tue Oct 02, 2018 7:42 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
edders23 wrote:
grandad wrote:
Some of the wording worries me. It says a free shopping delivery service and a lift home. Are they likely to use unlicensed vehicles to deliver the shopping and the person can get in if they wish ? A bit like the pizza delivery ones that deliver your pizza and offer the customer a lift.



Quote:
Taxi firms are vetted to meet strict standards, with the customer agreeing a mutually convenient time for the shopping delivery, and lift home.
:wink:

And you believe that?
Author:  StuartW [ Wed Oct 03, 2018 1:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
Not much new here, but this looks like the official head-office spiel on the scheme.

And if it is successful and further extended, stand by for other retailers adopting the idea.

Co-op to extend taxi delivery trial

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwes ... very-trial

The Co-op has decided to extend trials of a free home delivery service to include one of its stores in Sefton, North Liverpool.

In July this year the Manchester-based retailer said it was unlikely to widen the trial from three stores, including Royton, in Manchester.

But today it revealed it is adding a further nine stores to the trial process, following its success so far.

These new stores include the Waterloo site, in Sefton.

The Co-op provides home delivery from 228 branches, but only for purchases made in-store.

Home delivery is free within certain postcodes for customers spending more than £25, or for £3 if they spend less, and items are delivered by Co-op vans.

But the recent trial involved taxis being hired to make deliveries to customers.

And the Co-op said it will add nine more stores by the end of the year after the retailer saw a near ten-fold uplift in average basket spend when compared with average consumer shopping trends in convenience stores.

The home delivery service proved particularly popular among those who wish to go out into the community to do their shopping, but may struggle to carry their purchases home, such as the elderly, those with limited mobility or access to transport, and parents of young families.

Chris Conway, Co-op head of food digital, said: “Retailers need to be increasingly agile in their operations, and the Co-op is committed to exploring new ways to innovate which can create increased consumer choice, ease, speed and convenience.

“While it is still very early days, the response from customers and colleagues has been extremely enthusiastic, with many ‘hailing’ the new taxi scheme and added convenience a huge success, going so far as to describe it as a lifeline which helps to overcome social isolation in our local communities.”

The Co-op’s home delivery scheme is free of charge within a five mile radius when customers spend £25 or more in-store in a single transaction.

Taxi firms are vetted to meet strict standards, with the customer agreeing a mutually convenient time for the shopping delivery, and lift home.
Author:  bloodnock [ Thu Oct 04, 2018 7:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
Quote:
Taxi firms are vetted to meet strict standards, with the customer agreeing a mutually convenient time for the shopping delivery, and lift home


There won't be many shoppers that'll be at their pick up point on time, it'll be the usual "Took Longer than Expected" shopping trip that most of us are guilty of.

And then when you do get old granny smith home she'll be expecting you to hump the shopping into the house for her just as the opposition pick up some nice juicy airport transfer because they are available and your not because your days been blocked by a local shopping trip jolly where the only thing on offer was peanuts for yourself.
Author:  roythebus [ Thu Oct 04, 2018 9:59 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Kent firm to co-operate with Co-op to offer free taxi ri
From what I read they are cutting their home delivery by vans and using taxis. that could make economic sense as it saves them the expense of having to buy/lease vans and all the associated running costs.

There's obviously a margin of profit reserved for transport overheads as there is with all the supermarkets, and if that can be cut then they're going to run with it. As their article says, basket spends increase by people going into the store and making last minute buys that they may not do online. as for the cab drivers, are airport runs really that "juicy" a fare? When I used to do them it was about 30p a mile for the 200 mile round trip from rural Kent to Heathrow and 5 hours driving. Better to do local trips at a fiver a time.
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