UK newsagent fined for underage sale
An Edinburgh newsagent has been fined £800 for selling tobacco to an underage shopper working during a test purchase by the local council. I can see this getting tougher.
Newsagency casual vacancy
We are looking for someone to join our newsXpress Forest Hill (VIC) store on a casual basis. If you know anyone please have them email me.
Biggest Loser pedometers a hit
The Biggest Loser Couples pedometer giveaway with the herald Sun went well for us in most newsagencies I am connected with. At our Forest Hill store we received plenty of pedometers and didn’t run out until late in the day. We had plenty of happy customers and happy people dropping in to pick up their pedometer only.
We were not so happy at one other newsagency where we received 30 pedometers for 74 newspapers (we actually didn’t get any and had to go to the distribution newsagent to collect them) and ran out in no time at all. In this instance, the problem is with the distribution newsagent and the publisher.
Complaints aside, I like these promotions with newspapers. What is needed is a fix for the distribution issues we have covered here in recent weeks. I see this as much a publisher as a distribution newsagent issue.
Newsagents being chased on Bill Express debt
Some newsagents have recently received letters from a firm called Professional Collection Services (PCS) demanding money in relation to Bill Express. The Bill Express liquidator has engaged PCS to collect Bill Express debts relating to telecommunication services incurred prior to Bill Express ceasing operations. Unfortunately the letters of demand to not specify what the debt relates to or any other relevant details. I’m told that the legal advice for anyone who receives such a letter if to immediately write back and seek details of the claim in writing so that this can be verified. The contact details are: PCS, PO Box 85, Collins Street West, VIC 8007. Email: vicadmin@profcoll.com.au. This is not something to ignore.
Free iPad with a newspaper and magazine subscriptions?
It’s question well asked by Joe Zeff at his blog. He suggests that publishers getting in now and bundling the iPad fre ‘free’ with a long-term subscription commitment are well positioned for the evolution of the device.
Driving ink sales
The large format poster was a feature in our centre at Forest Hill several times through 2009. This week, it is righin the mall t outside our store and facing shoppers as they come through the entrance from the carpark nearest us. We have good evidence from 2009 of this poster driving traffic and sales.
We created the artwork -and had our printer create several of the posters.
Ink works for us with this type of marketing because of our brand commitment, our highly competitive pricing and compelling collateral. In creating this, our goal was to leverage shopper trafffic already in the centre and nearby.
Missing People’s Friend
We see to have delivery problems with People’s Friend in any one of my newsagencies every second week. Yesterday, it was Forest Hill’s turn. This would not matter if the title was not so popular but with 20 putaways and only a couple off copies left for the shelves we will have between 30 and 50 unhappy customers. We have spoken to Gotch about this and they have an answer for each occurrence. I suspect a more systemic problem. I’d be interested if other newsagents have People’s Friend delivery problems.
AFL prospectus for 2010 season out now
The AFL Prospectus for the 2010 AFL season is out now in newsagencies. If last year is anything to go by, this $39.95 collectors (and AFL tragic) item will sell out quickly. We have it located with newspapers as well as with our AFL related magazines. I have seen customers decide to purchase the prospectus on impulse, making it an excellent impulse item.
Get to Melbourne Gift Fair
Newsagents in Victoria looking for new revenue opportunities ought to get to the Gift Fair which starts tomorrow morning and runs for four days. You’ll see plenty of suppliers and products worthy of consideration. More than 300 suppliers are exhibiting.
I know of newsagents who went to their first gift fair and within months completely refreshed their business.
Kutcher shows how media is changing
An article in Fast Company offers an excellent insight into how media is changing. It’s about Katalyst, a company founded by Ashton Kutcher and business partner Jason Goldberg. You’ll read about how they are using social media like Twitter and developing web based video content – with the backing of advertisers.
Now read about a speech made this week by Elizabeth Murdoch:
We in the TV business have to catch up with what our audience is doing. We can no longer afford to be one-screen business. Social networks are finally the interactive dimension of storytelling. We now need to evolve with our audience. To resist this would be like resisting Technicolor.
We’ve talked here before about Gen Y and how we are not seeing them as much as we would like in newsagencies. The Fast Company article and the call to arms in Murdoch’s speech will provide an insight into why.
Since we are not content developers in newsagencies, this space is not for us. Our job is to develop a better presence with products which need a bricks and mortar presence and to make the experience more enjoyable so that shoppers want to come back for a real life experience.
Is newsagent privacy being breached?
I have heard from several newsagents that their neighbouring newsagents have allegedly been told by publisher representatives that they have signed new newspaper home delivery contracts. The allegation is that this information has been put in terms of well they have signed, you should too. It has also been used to say, if you don’t sign they can take your territory and give it to them.
While I cannot verify if the allegation is true, I’d note that three separate (and unconnected) newsagents have shared their stories with me. I cannot imagine any publisher condoning such activity.
If true, such a disclosure about someone else signing a contract would be a breach of privacy. The challenge is how do you act on this?
The stress around the new contracts is not yet over for some newsagents.
Crosswords do sell with women’s magazines
Last month, 80% of sales of Lovatts BIG Crossword were achieved from this one pocket next to the Australian Women’s Weekly. That’s close to 30 units sold from one pocket. In the first two days of on-sale of the new issue of BIG Crossword, all copies sold have come from this pocket. Newsagents who do not promote crossword titles next to AWW or their weekly magazines are not achieving their maximum potential.
Mainstream media and the iPad
Checkout the report published by the Globe and Mail newspaper in Canada by about the iPad.
But those with the most hope invested in the new iPad are newspaper and magazine publishers who are struggling to open new revenue streams as print advertising shrinks and readers seek free content on the Internet.
“It’s the best chance especially newspaper and magazine content publishers have, said Kaan Yigit, a Toronto-based new media analyst.
“A predictable, good-looking platform that’s more intimate to the consumer and is more ready to replicate some of the features of the printed paper,” he added.
Also, see the news report from CBS News in the US.
Apple launches the iPad
The coverage within hours of the launch overnight of the Apple iPad in the US reflects the anticipation worldwide for this device. Check out a video from a report ZDNet from the launch.
Apple has launched a book store – iBook – to sell books for the device. The Telegraph reports that publisher of the New York Times has developed an application, for the iPad, which allows readers to view videos embedded within articles.
Fat Auto Salon magazine
Auto Salon magazine is fat this month thanks to the two old (but free) back issues the publisher has bagged with the title. The thickness of the Auto Salon package means that we cannot place in its usual location. We had to bump a more popular title from their flat-stack location. The publisher ought to pay for this.
The other problem with the fat Auto Salon this month is the bagging of the issue. Anyone who knows anything about car magazines knows that these titles are among the most popular browsed titles in a newsagency. Bag it and you reduce browsing. Some publishers tell me that bagging an old issue with a current issue drives sales. I doubt that.
Back to school magazine
Turn the latest issue of Healthy Food over and newsagents have a magazine which fits well in a Back to School display. It’s a booklet with tips about healthy back to school food options. This is a smart move by the publisher but should have been publicised more widely to newsagents with a specific call to action to promote this in with the Back to School display.
Publisher considers a new approach to newspaper gifts
The Herald and Weekly Times has written to newsagents today exploring options for improving the supply of gifts with newspapers.
HWT is also reviewing its approach to assessing stock quantities for future promotions. Where we have historical data to use as a basis for our ordering, we have been able to accurately predict demand. For first time promotions however, we have been less successful predicting demand than we would have hoped. Certainly the Australia Day Hat promotion falls into this latter category.
In an effort to minimize the potential for undersupply of product for future promotions, we will naturally look to increasing the amount of stock we order. We will however, also consider extending the promotion to other retail channels i.e. supermarkets, convenience chains in order to minimize the impact of customers wishing to redeem the promotional item from newsagents, having purchased their newspaper elsewhere. For particular promotions we will also consider applying a small charge per item instead of it being free.
I hope they don’t go to other retail channels. With some work on the publisher supply and the distributing newsagent – retail newsagent connection we ought to be better off than today. This is where I would like to see work.
I’d also welcome a small charge for each item. This would help balance demand.
It is good to see a publisher opening a conversation like this with newsagents.
Promoting That’s Life at the counter
We have replaced Burke’s Backyard at the counter with That’s Life this morning. That’s Life wins this prime impulse purchase position with the free pack of Celebrity Slim being given away with this issue. We’ll leave this display in place until Friday depending on sales.
While feel bad about bumping the Burke’s Backyard display after two days, we have to be opportunistic and do what we feel is right for our business. We will support Burkes elsewhere in-store.
Promoting the Australian Women’s Weekly
We are promoting the new issue of Australian Women’s Weekly (out today) at the front of the store. This display bumps our weekly magazine display.
We find that AWW responds well to a display like this out the front of the store in the first week of on-sale. We asked ACP for additional collateral with AWW and this helps create a good looking display. This issue looks particularly good – it’s an excellent cover.
More space for women’s health and fitness titles
We expanded the space allocation for women’s health and fitness titles at our newsXpress Forest Hill store yesterday.
To enable this, we reduced space allocated to home and living titles – this segment is next to women’s health.
The move reflects space pressure as well as sales – in both segments. The additional column allows us to better display the key titles in the women’s health segment. In home and living, we have considerable dead stock in areas of architecture, pools and kitchens – how many of these titles do we really need?
As with any good magazine layout, nothing is forever. We are forever looking at sales and efficiency data to guide layout changes.
Apple tablet speculation reaches fever pitch
Speculation has reached fever pitch about the launch in the next 24 hours of the new tablet device from Apple. Particular attention will be on the publishers who partner with Apple by providing easy access to content, for a fee. Check out coverage at the LA Times. Also check out what Nick Summers writes at a Newsweek blog – he sees the device as a game-changer for a range of industries.
If a fraction of the speculation is accurate, the news and information distribution model is going to experience the iPod moment very soon.
ASIC charges over Bill Express market manipulation
ASIC has laid charges in relation to alleged market manipulation relating to Bill Express.
Mr Newton Chan of Balwyn, Victoria, has been charged with eight counts of market manipulation following an investigation by ASIC.
The charges relate to Mr Chan’s alleged manipulation of the share price of Bill Express Ltd (BXP) (now in administration) while he was a senior client adviser at Macquarie Equities Ltd.
ASIC alleges that between 3 May 2006 and 26 March 2008, Mr Chan used a number of trading accounts held by various individuals and entities with Macquarie Equities Ltd to purchase more than 34 million BXP shares, worth over $6.1 million through hundreds of transactions. ASIC alleges these transactions created, or were likely to create, an artificial price for BXP.
Mr Chan has also been charged with falsifying order records by entering false names in Macquarie Equities’ electronic ordering system during this period and with providing false or misleading information to ASIC during an examination.
Mr Chan appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today. The matter is next listed for committal mention on 12 March 2010 in the Melbourne Magistrates Court.
The question if the charges are proven will be – who was Newton Chan acting for?
Bill Express is a story whichh will not go away. Newsagents are reminded every day when they stumble across useless equipment in their back room. They will also be reminded if they read the list of services the ANF Chairman offers from his newsagency according to the ANF yearbook (page 83) just published by the ANF – yep, Bill Express.