The Audit Bureau of Circulations magazine numbers for the March quarter released late last week confirm the results I published here a month ago in the latest Newsagency Sales Benchmark Study,
While I’ll look at the audit results in more detail later this week, I mention it today to encourage newsagents to look at the latest benchmark as it provides information which newsagents can use in developing business plans.
The newspaper decline is also very similar. We showed 2% in retail sales and the ABC reported a 2.8% decline for capital city newspapers.
We bought a very tired shop last August. We have always planned to refit it. This will go ahead mid year. However our refit will prepare for a more flexible retail future. We will reduce fixed card pockets by 30% but have the ability to use removable pocket modules for seasonal events.
Magazine pockets will be reduced by 50%. Again we will make use of flexible modules to adapt to changing events.
Oddly enough, shop sales of newspapers remain strong and we will upgrade our newspaper display area.
The fit out will also create more POS space -removing that “tacked-on” look of most POS.
In order to get a better handle on alternating product lines we will also join a marketing group. (TBA according to innovation capability)