Doddle: Fancy your home being a parcel pick up point?

[POSTMAN]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-33597033" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A click-and-collect company which announced a major deal with Network Rail is to open fewer parcel collection points at stations than planned.

Doddle now wants to recruit people to use their own homes as pick-up points for internet shopping.

Its chief executive, Tim Robinson, said it would recruit "agents" to hand parcels to neighbours.

In 2014, the company announced plans to open 300 collection points at stations following a deal with Network Rail.

Speaking on Radio 4's You & Yours, Mr Robinson said he now expected to open about 150 stores over the next few years.

Doddle found the product was successful in big urban railway stations, with a combination of daily commuters in the morning and evening and people who lived near the stations.

"What we're finding is consumers are not prepared to walk far off the beaten track to collect their parcels," Mr Robinson said.

"I think some of the assumptions we had in our original business model that we could be 100 yards to the right outside a railway station have not really played out.

"So for us now it is about trying to find the right sites in the right locations at the right stations that we know are going to work."

Doddle currently has 35 outlets and has already diversified into university campuses and shopping centres.

It will soon start a five-week trial of neighbourhood agents who work from home and have to be available four nights a week between 18:00 and 22:00 to hand over parcels. These would be overseen by a local manager.

"Already Royal Mail will deliver something that was heading to your home to the next best person they can find. It's about formalising that and offering people the chance to earn a bit of money and play a role in their community," Mr Robinson said.

"We are not moving away from railway stations and shops. We are going to push on and open more and more stores but it is about giving consumers another option."

Retailer John Lewis recently announced that it would start charging a £2 fee for click-and-collect purchases costing less than £30, after finding that its current free model was unsustainable.

[baldrick]

This was on Radio 4 today. The Doddle CEO said they were looking at payments, but he thought they would try a 5 week trial where
agents who took in parcels would be paid £500. They would have to be at home for parcels to be collected for 4 days a week from 1800-2200. So £100 pw for 16 hours, or £6.25ph.

[Jefferson Starfish]

So in effect you turn your house into a callers office with probably a limitless number of other peoples parcels, who will almost certainly start turning up at the wrong time? No thanks.

[Sir Henry]

And you can just imagine the litany of complaints, gripes and impossible requests Joe public will launch on the poor unsuspecting agent on their front doorstep. Fraudsters will probably make their lives hell too. Nice one about service to the community Mr Robinson as if that makes the prospect of the great unwashed traipsing about your property at night for six quid plus change more palatable you Cockwomble

[POSTMAN]

500 squid a month,be a few takers for that!

[DGP1]

Another company trying to do it on the cheap, I guess putting lockers in a shop works out too expensive.

[baldrick]

It would probably also invalidate your household insurance as you are effectively turning your home into a business premises.