La Poste parcels subsidiary Chronopost is to use a network of 3,000 French tobacconists as deliveryand pick-up points for customers ordering online.
The new ‘Chrono Relais’ service is a payable option for clients who will not be at home toreceive packages during the day and find a nearby tobacconist more convenient than visiting thepost office. Tobacconists are also open longer hours.
Clients will also be able to drop-off parcels at the tobacco outlets, to be picked up laterby Chronopost, and pay for sending them.
“This will be a complement to our network,” said Chronopost president Thomas Lot, presentingthe service yesterday. “There are 14,000 post offices, but also 30,000 tobacconists, so we wonderedhow we could work together.”
Next year, Chronopost expects to move around 20,000 parcels a day through the tobacco shopsand kiosks, which would amount to around 8% of the La Poste company’s total volume.
Tobacconists are delighted with the opportunity to earn new revenue, reported Agence FrancePresse, since the sale of tobacco is to be increasingly regulated and smoking banned in publicplaces.
