Post Office accused of ‘hijacking’ online presence of partnered stores

The Post Office has been accused of ‘hijacking’ the online presence of its partnered stores by replacing photos, store descriptions and phone numbers with its corporate messaging.

Dozens of stores took to social media to complain that their Google profiles had been altered without their permission after the Post Office ‘took ownership’ of the pages. Vince Malone of Tenby Stores and Post Office told RN: “They changed our phone number, our photos, our store description and even our store location. We recently moved premises and a customer warned us that our online profile was listing our old address, it’s only then that we realised what had happened.”

Another store owner who asked not to be named said: “By redirecting to their website and their phone number they are taking sales that would otherwise take place at the counter like travel money and insurance. They are cutting out the postmaster.”

The NFSP described the Post Office’s actions as ‘totally unacceptable.’ A statement from the trade group representing post office retailers said it had raised the issue with the Government and with the Post Office. Describing the attempts by the Post Office to improve the online presence of its network, the NFSP said: “Post Office have missed an opportunity to engage constructively with its network and work in partnership with subpostmasters. It is extremely disappointing that they have behaved in this way – and, if such activities continue, it does not bode well for PO’s objective to ‘reset the relationship’ with subpostmasters.”

Malone agreed, stating that while building online listings for those post offices without an online presence would be beneficial, they should have done so in collaboration and permission of the shop owners. “They’ve used a sledgehammer to crack a nut,” he said.

Other services supplied in post offices were also accused of attempting to ‘interfere’ with online listings. The NFSP explained: “Royal Mail’s website is describing individual post offices as ‘our office’ and encouraging people to purchase postage via an app on the same page.”