We received nine copies of nic & rocco Sweet Sensations. That’s nine copies more than I would have ordered had I been given the opportunity of deciding whether I wanted to invest in the launch of this magazine / cookbook.
That billing is delayed does nothing for me since it takes up space and is a leech title – relying completely on the traffic I generate.
At $19.95 the price is too high. No, there is little going for this title, certainly not enough for be to give it two pockets of space – two pockets because some bright apart decided I needed nine copies. Had they sent three I might have kept it in story. we early returned the lot.
So many titles are coming now with delayed billing that newsagents have caught on and are suspicious about when it’s used … as they should be.
Just found 10 of these on my shelves this morning. Will place at front of shop for a few days to see if any interest (don’t expect to sell a copy but who knows) then I shall return.
I am getting fed up with delayed billing, they think it justifies dumping heaps of crap on us. Yesterday we filled a shopping trolley with topped calendars and diaries from the big 2. I had about 8 drawers full of stuff that I know will not sell but year after year we keep receiving it. Such a waste of paper and time.
Jenny I think that publishers have been fed a line about delayed billing and told we won’t early return. A smart publisher would speak with newsagents about the costs of holding non-selling title.
I’ve noticed a lot of interest in all things cake,cupcake,cake decorating ect lately so I’m giving this title a go, though no sales yet. The one I’m topping without seeing the shelves is the “Club Marine Gourmet Delights” cookbook. 8 copies sent by G&G to a shop that battles to sell 2 copies of “Delicious” a month.
On the subject of delayed billing it might delay early returns because I don’t like having delayed credits mixed in with this months credits in case they get lost I’ll hold them till the month of billing. By hold them I mean have them hanging around the back office if their crap. Delayed billing doesn’t make me display something I wouldn’t otherwise.
Tomorrow we will receive 26 copies of the One Handed Cooks magazine. What’s this I ask myself, I picture chefs who only have one arm, so I google it and find it’s a magazine for busy mums. I now picture Mum with baby on hip one free hand to cook.
As a good newsagent I will promote this new Australian magazine and hopefully the author has a big enough following on her blog for Mum’s to buy the magazine, but another cook book? Not sure we need it. But then I am still amazed that 2 ladies made a fortune from 4 Ingredients.
My attitude to delayed billing is that will encourage me to display a title for a longer period than 1 month ONLY IF the title is likely to sell. It provides no benefit to anyone to fill shelves with non selling or slow selling stock especially at a 25% margin. Christmas titles etc make perfect sense as they will most likely sell better the closer they get to the occasion but general magazines still need to perform to warrant shelf space. If nic & rocco Sweet Sensations and other magazines fail to take off in the first couple of weeks we have not choice but to early return them despite delayed billing. Publishers and distributors, please take note.
Lovatts Colossus delayed bill till 20/11 5 copies still on shelf. Tomorrow 5 more copies delayed bill till 20/1/14. Network squeezing another two weeks out of us. System is broke!!
I am starting to get really fed up with delayed billing, today we received Sunshine Coast Brides DB, half my wedding section is NDC DB.
Wedding magazines don’t sell like they used to (am guessing internet) so stop dumping the same old rubbish that’s been around for years that requires strong arms to lift and that no one buys, or even free reads, anymore!!!!