A Wellington bookstore owner is expecting a 35% loss in revenue following the closure of their NZ Post counter - and says she’s “devastated” for affected customers, particularly the elderly.
NZ Post has announced it will close 142 urban partner stores across the country after reviewing how customers use its urban retail services. No rural stores are currently affected.
The decision has left many in the community outraged, saying it was already hard to access a post shop and many people who couldn’t go online would struggle.
Marsden Books Karori owner and manager Briony Hogg said the shop’s estimated revenue would drop 35-40% once the post counter closes at the end of May.
Speaking to Ryan Bridge on Newstalk ZB this morning, Hogg said there were only two post shops in the suburb of 18,000, with the other – a Mobil station – staying open.
The postal counter itself had low margins but closing it would have a “pretty significant” effect on revenue, thanks to the loss of customers.
“People would come in to do their posting and while they’re in there they’ll buy a card and they’ll buy a book and they’ll have a chat and we build a relationship,” she said.
The store and others like it would now have to think of ways to pivot.
Hogg said they had “no idea” why NZ Post chose the petrol station to stay open - “I imagine it was something to do with the bottom line which I understand is important” - but called it “a weird fit”.
“Also, there are a lot of concerns around health and safety, elderly people crossing forecourts, you know, that sort of thing so that’s the thing that we’re really quite devastated about for our customers.”
Marsden Books had gone “above and beyond” to provide social connection and community spirit, she said. “I’m just not sure they’re going to get that same level of service at a petrol station.”
Concerned readers have contacted the Herald about the closures, particularly their impact on elderly people, with Age Concern warning of increasing isolation as a result.
The changes follow an update between NZ Post’s Deed of Understanding with the Government, which resets the minimum store requirements for the first time in about 40 years.
NZ Post general manager Sarah Sandoval yesterday said the remaining network of 567 stores “will still be significantly larger than any New Zealand supermarket or bank branch network”.
“In fact, 90% of Kiwis living in urban areas will still be within 4km of an NZ Post store.”
The Herald has requested further comment from NZ Post.
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