Pubs and bars have happy hours, when they discount some products to attract patrons at certain times, why not newsagents?
I know there are some newsagents who do deals on a quiet day of the week, usually Tuesday, but I am not aware of anyone running a genuine happy hour. If you are please share here.
We don’t run a happy hour in any of my stores but I am thinking about it. As I see it, we’d need: a compelling deal, collateral to promote the happy hour, a flashing light or some other device to draw attention and shop floor staff engagement.
For the compelling deal I am thinking about offers like:
- Get 50% off a Thank You card with each card purchased.
- Spend more than $30 on gifts and choose a sheet of wrapping paper free.
- Buy and two plush items and get our huggable bear for free.
- Get a free tape measure with every stationery purchase.
- Spend over $30 on stationery and take 35% off.
Given traffic in the centres in which my stores are located I’d probably run Happy Hour between 1pm and 3pm on a Tuesday. I’d try it for a month and then assess performance.
44 responses so far ↓
1 Nerissa // Jan 20, 2013 at 4:36 PM
Great ideas Mark, might pilfer some of those and let you know how they go…
2 Mal // Jan 20, 2013 at 5:29 PM
Mark, this is probably the first time I’ve seen you use the word ‘happy’.
Normally, your posts are about doom and gloom.
It’s a welcomed change.
3 Mark Fletcher // Jan 20, 2013 at 5:34 PM
Mal no change … maybe you are only seeing what you want to see. Do a search of the blog for happy, it will only take a few seconds, and you’ll see many entries where I use the word.
The content in the blog is far more positive than negative.
Hey go back and read my other Sunday Marketing tips. Plenty of happy ideas there too.
4 June // Jan 21, 2013 at 12:11 PM
Mal, you’ve got to be kidding. There is nobody -AND I MEAN NOBODY- in our industry who has been more proactive or
positive than Mark.
I hate seeing him criticized unfairly
5 P // Jan 21, 2013 at 4:33 PM
June i think there have been and will be plenty of people- Plenty of people that have and will help this industry They are all equal
6 Gina R // Jan 21, 2013 at 5:02 PM
Hell hath no fury like a June scorned. I’m starting to wonder if Mark and June are one and the same
7 Mark Fletcher // Jan 21, 2013 at 5:26 PM
‘Gina’ that’s an offensive comment. Go back to Mal’s comment any my response. He posted nonsense which I have explained people can search for themselves and see it for what it is.
Sadly, these puerile games get in the way of good ideas for newsagents.
8 Gina R // Jan 21, 2013 at 5:28 PM
calm down sweetie – don’t be so sensitive
9 Mark Fletcher // Jan 21, 2013 at 5:32 PM
‘Gina’ you obviously don’t know me. I am not sensitive at all, just pitching ideas to newsagents to help them grow their businesses.
10 Shaun's // Jan 21, 2013 at 6:51 PM
Maybe we need happy hour on the blog
5-6 we all be nice to each other ..
With regard to the post I have never really givin this idea a thought but might be something to look at
11 P // Jan 21, 2013 at 6:52 PM
We all like the ideas posted here and they do help me by the way but to say Gina’s comment was offensive is like saying June’s was spot on and Its NOT
12 Mark Fletcher // Jan 21, 2013 at 7:05 PM
‘P’, June’s comment was from someone not hiding behind a pseudonym. It’s her view and she’s entitled to it. I don’t agree but so what? ‘Gina R’ was offensive on a couple of fronts. And in the meantime, a post of value is made fun of.
This channel has people who love to knock. My experience is that they are usually people not prepared to have a go themselves, not prepared to put ideas out there for comment and debate.
13 Nick Shanagher (@NickShanagher) // Jan 21, 2013 at 8:32 PM
A brilliant idea. How do the maths work for a happy hour in a bar? Is it about locking people in for an evening? How do retailers keep track of the benefit, assuming people don’t repeat purchase the greetings cards pair by pair?
14 Mark Fletcher // Jan 21, 2013 at 8:38 PM
Nick, in the newsagency I think it needs to be about getting the customer to spend above average for a visit on that day of the week. We have good stats on that – basket depth – so measuring the success can be done.
15 Mal // Jan 22, 2013 at 7:45 AM
What have I started?!
1. I generally come to this blog to look for ideas and inspirations. Most are terrific.
2. I made the comment because I’ve been seeing fewer posts (compared to ’09/’10) about Australian Post taking Newsagency business and more posts about excellent merchandising from around the world (e.g. the Wholefood posts).
3. The intention of the initial response was not to post nonsense nor to start a debate.
4. Relevant to the post: A few year’s ago, when we were extending our opening hours, we used a happy hour technique of discounting greeting cards and wraps to lure more customers in during those hours to make the time viable during the initial change. From experience, it didn’t matter if we discounted during the two hours or not.
16 Mark Fletcher // Jan 22, 2013 at 8:10 AM
Mal you said:
Mark, this is probably the first time I’ve seen you use the word ‘happy’.
Normally, your posts are about doom and gloom.
It’s a welcomed change.
You are wrong as I have shown. I’ve used happy many times and have posted more positive content than negative.
That interchange led to a couple of trolls joining in.
17 Gina R // Jan 22, 2013 at 8:51 AM
There she goes again, as sensitive as ever.
Lighten up princess!
18 Mark Fletcher // Jan 22, 2013 at 8:58 AM
Strong words ‘Gina’. Care to tell readers here who you really are? Go on, show us how strongly you believe what you say.
19 P // Jan 22, 2013 at 9:32 AM
This industry has always had knockers and always will our family has been doing this for about 44 years these people come and go When they go we all benefit but they do make it interesting if only for their own stupidity.That said keep up the good work
20 allan wickham // Jan 22, 2013 at 5:05 PM
Mark, good challenge to Gina there, waiting to see if she takes you up on your offer. The biggest problem with social media/commentary is the fact most dont use there “full” or even “real” names. By hiding behind an alias people feel they can have a crack at somebody at no risk. Whilst we should all have an opinion and enjoy healthy debate, I wonder if some comments would be made if people had to use their “real” names. When my teenage son joined FaceBook we had one rule for him, that was “do not post anything that you would not say face to face with somebody”. Like my son, I was also taught basic good manners and one of those things was “If you cant say something nice, then dont say anything at all”. By all means lets have debate and differing opinions but at least be polite about it. If you are going to have an agenda then at least have the guts to use your “real” name as well.
Al
21 Mark Fletcher // Jan 23, 2013 at 5:48 AM
Thanks Al. These type of derogatory anonymous comments do more broad harm than the target in the commenter’s cross-hairs.
While I write the blog posts, I see this place as somewhere for conversation, where everyone valuably adds to the discussion.
22 Gina R // Jan 23, 2013 at 1:02 PM
Yeah thanks Al, you’re a real trooper but what concerns me is I will never know if that is your real name.
It is certainly a conundrum.
23 Mark Fletcher // Jan 23, 2013 at 1:09 PM
Not true ‘Gina’, Allan Wickham has identified himself and his business before – Eli Waters.
24 Gina R // Jan 23, 2013 at 1:29 PM
Thanks Mark – a decisive answer but not too aggressive. Who then is ‘P’ ‘Steve’ ‘Michael’ ‘Former’ ‘June’ and so on.
My point being that you seem to get your skirt in a tizz about names on a blog – it is irrelevant. I’m only here to lighten the otherwise ‘dark cloud’ atmosphere that seems to hover over this site.
25 Mark Fletcher // Jan 23, 2013 at 1:47 PM
‘Gina’, June has identified herself as June Carter from Browns of Burnside in South Australia. Want to tell the folks here who you are?
26 Gina R // Jan 23, 2013 at 3:43 PM
OK now we’re getting somewhere, Fletch.
That’s June and Allan accounted for, so who are the rest of the cast members who so blatantly and mischievously use pseudo’s or initials. It’s just not fair.
27 Mark Fletcher // Jan 23, 2013 at 3:45 PM
‘Gina’ you’re wasting time. If you are not prepared to out yourself then why should any take your firmly held views seriously.
28 June // Jan 23, 2013 at 3:48 PM
Gina, your remarks about us are rude
and offensive.
I have been a newsagent for 35 years and
have ALWAYS identified myself and have
always been proud to so do.
I don’t know what your agenda is – you
obviously have one – but to blog on this
site without identification of yourself is
allowing you no credibility.
I am old enough to be the mother of most
of the bloggers here and I can assure you
that I am not the alterego of Mark Fletcher.
If you would like to ring and vent your
issues to me you will find me at Browns of
Burnside in South Australia and my phone
no. is 08 83797578
The only Gina R I can recall is Gina Reinhardt and I think she certainly has a
few issues – maybe she wants to find out
more about newsagencies before she purchases the majority share of FF (just joking)
29 Tim // Jan 23, 2013 at 4:19 PM
I wonder which competitor of Mark’s Gina is? Couldn’t be that busy if they have all this time to troll all day.
30 allan wickham // Jan 23, 2013 at 4:40 PM
Gina,
Allan Wickham
newsXpress Eli Waters
Hervey Bay QLD
0741940788
You can call anytime and find out if this is my “real” name.
How about you telling us who you are????
31 Luke // Jan 23, 2013 at 4:56 PM
Does it really matter who Gina is, really it has hijacked an otherwise good post and turned it it into a bum fight.
Luke
by the way it is Luke Scott
Scott’s News Lismore before anyone has a gripe. I do not always agree with Mark but at least he knows who I am.
32 SHAUNS // Jan 23, 2013 at 5:06 PM
Mark, maybe you could set this site up so that we have to register first before being able to post , you know who i am but unlike the others i do not want everyone knowing who i am , at least that way you know who is genuine and who is not .
33 Steve // Jan 23, 2013 at 5:17 PM
Gina
Steve Cole
Kellerberrin News
Kellerberrin WA
08 90454023
Now the real question is who are you and whats your agenda. Don’t worry I won’t hold my breath.
34 Jenny // Jan 23, 2013 at 5:21 PM
Guys just ignore Gina. Isn’t that what we teach our children? He or she will soon get bored if no one takes any notice.
35 Mal // Jan 23, 2013 at 5:35 PM
@ Shauns,
I think mark is running this blog on WordPress.
He could install WP User Control plugin for registrations, but that would hinder user activity (as greater investment is required by the user to login/register before they can make a post).
He also appear to have installed Yoast for google analytics and some all-in-one SEO pack. But it’s wrote inefficiently. The script should appear at the end of the body tag so the content appears to load faster.
36 Lance // Jan 23, 2013 at 6:04 PM
Gina, go and plait your teeth somewhere else
Now, amongst the genuinely interested parties here, any more thoughts on this ?
Pubs and bars have happy hours, when they discount some products to attract patrons at certain times, why not newsagents?
37 Mark Fletcher // Jan 23, 2013 at 6:28 PM
Why not indeed Lance. Nothing stopping any newsagent trying this.
38 SHAUNS // Jan 23, 2013 at 6:32 PM
slim margins on general newsagency item . Bars and pubs have you drinking for an hour and no one leaves straight after that hour finishes so they make there money after that hour finishes . If you drink beer for an hour during happy hour i know for myself i will then move on to spirits (back in the day) and that is also where they make their coin.
39 Vicki // Jan 23, 2013 at 6:33 PM
I like the happy hour idea. We have tried “flash sales” usually on a Sunday to drive traffic, but with variable success.
By the way, (just for Gina)
Vicki Eatts
Pemberton Post and News
08 97761034
40 Mark Fletcher // Jan 23, 2013 at 6:37 PM
Shaun, look at my specific ideas again. Take cards – margin is 70% +. I’ve not suggested anything slim.
41 Paul // Jan 23, 2013 at 7:04 PM
Pubs and bars will often also tie in a happy hour to coincide or run into a meal period such as lunch or dinner so that the net effect is an overall greater spend in the latter period.
For us perhaps tie in a happy hour with a closing casket ticket draw or lotto draw, the start of a particular sales season or the launch of a new stock product range ? If it draws any incremental sale on top of the happy hour sale then it’s beneficial. For us I think the trick is not to bastardise margin or sales at another time and ensure we get a definite and measureable benefit from it.
42 Allan Wickham // Jan 23, 2013 at 10:02 PM
What about an offer dependant on the current purchase? i.e. if somebody purchased a greeting card you could pitch something like “did you know because you purchased a card you can have 10% off a magazine, valid this hour? Only used these items as an example….
Al
43 Allan Wickham // Jan 23, 2013 at 10:05 PM
Just as a side note from my years in running pubs, most happy hours were more about rewarding the regular customer…..it never really bought in extra income. Maybe that’s the way we need to attack this….reward loyalty with the odd happy hour.
44 Lance // Jan 23, 2013 at 10:43 PM
Could the Happy Hour theme be tied to a Rewards Card ?
An extra 10% for Reward Card holders during any Happy Hour.
That may get some RC holders into the shop at a time they wouldn’t normally be there. It might just move their shopping time, but it may also add another shopping time.
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