Market research shows that while newsagents have around 37% of greeting card sales in Australia, we account for only 21% of packaging (wrap, bags and boxes). The newsagents doing well in packaging are those who actively promote the wrap category. Current best practice is to locate the cards and wrap department at the front of the shop. Unfortunately older shopfits being what they are, relocating a department is a challenge. At our Frankston newsagency, where we our shopfit will not be done until next year, we have created a display of some of our Christmas themed bags on an aisle end near our counter usually reserved for magazines.
While magazine publishers may be disappointed that we are taking prime space for another category of product, the time of the year dictates we make every inch of expensive retail space work for us.