Palmer & Harvey has launched a new service billed as "a cash & carry with no carrying".
P&H Local, launched this week, is targeting the 3,500 independent retailers that use P&H for only a small amount of their orders. As part of the service, P&H reps will visit stores every two weeks to offer advice on what retailers should be stocking. The reps will then take down their order, which will be sent by free next day delivery.
The wholesaler is so confident that every product will be in stock it is promising that retailers will receive any unavailable item free of charge with their next order. Retailers can pay for their order in cash when they receive it or within 14 days. Between visits, P&H will encourage retailers to take advantage of its online ordering or telesales services rather than visit a cash & carry.
P&H marketing director Richard Hayhoe said the new service was "the future of wholesale".
"With P&H Local, we're taking the hard work out of going to the cash & carry," he said. "We know people want and like to go to cash & carries but this service dispels the myth that the cash & carry is the best option. P&H Local will save retailers time and money and will also give them advice on what to stock."
P&H has invested around £1.5m in the new service, including recruiting 60 new staff. The service will focus on pushing its best-selling 150 lines but retailers can order from P&H's full range of 7,000 products. The top-sellers have been price-checked independently against other wholesalers.
Hayhoe added that the service had been well received by retailers during a trial at P&H's Haydock depot. He said early indications following the service's national roll-out on Monday showed orders were already being taken for more than £3,500.
P&H Local would complement the wholesaler's existing Sweetdirect and Snacksdirect van sales services, Hayhoe insisted, as P&H Local covered the company's full range of products rather than specific categories.
P&H Local, launched this week, is targeting the 3,500 independent retailers that use P&H for only a small amount of their orders. As part of the service, P&H reps will visit stores every two weeks to offer advice on what retailers should be stocking. The reps will then take down their order, which will be sent by free next day delivery.
The wholesaler is so confident that every product will be in stock it is promising that retailers will receive any unavailable item free of charge with their next order. Retailers can pay for their order in cash when they receive it or within 14 days. Between visits, P&H will encourage retailers to take advantage of its online ordering or telesales services rather than visit a cash & carry.
P&H marketing director Richard Hayhoe said the new service was "the future of wholesale".
"With P&H Local, we're taking the hard work out of going to the cash & carry," he said. "We know people want and like to go to cash & carries but this service dispels the myth that the cash & carry is the best option. P&H Local will save retailers time and money and will also give them advice on what to stock."
P&H has invested around £1.5m in the new service, including recruiting 60 new staff. The service will focus on pushing its best-selling 150 lines but retailers can order from P&H's full range of 7,000 products. The top-sellers have been price-checked independently against other wholesalers.
Hayhoe added that the service had been well received by retailers during a trial at P&H's Haydock depot. He said early indications following the service's national roll-out on Monday showed orders were already being taken for more than £3,500.
P&H Local would complement the wholesaler's existing Sweetdirect and Snacksdirect van sales services, Hayhoe insisted, as P&H Local covered the company's full range of products rather than specific categories.
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