This is now getting ridiculous – more adult colouring titles being sent to newsagents from which we make 25% while access to better quality books from which we make 50% is easy.
Me, I want absolute control over the magazines so I can maximise the higher margin book opportunity over which I have complete control. Yesterday I spoke with a newsagent who is the opposite – they are not ordering any books and taking all the magazines they can get because they are sale or return.
The two choices are right for each of the business owners as the choices reflect their approach to their businesses.
While I say neither of us is wrong in our approach, I think preferring sale or return keeps your focus on likely failure of inventory sent by another party making a decision on what you should stock in your business.
Now more than ever we need to control our businesses. This is why I want absolute control on the adult colouring magazines I receive. I have made and continue to make far more from th adult colouring titles I source for myself. I can also control my exit from the segment, just as I did my entry many months ago.
I worry for the newsagents who take what they are sent by the magazine companies without thinking about this strategically. I think such an approach contains or holds back what they could make from adult colouring. Considering this more broadly, I think it holds them back from reaching for other goals within and through their businesses, goals that sit at the heart of their future.
Our newsagencies are our businesses. They are places where decisions we make ought to be reflected in our performance. Those relying solely on the magazine companies for adult colouring engagement are not running their newsagencies as their own businesses. Rather, they are acting as a drop off point, an outpost, for another business.
This is the difference between a retailer and an agent.
There is no future in being an agent, none whatsoever. While riskier and harder work, there are valuable benefits and opportunities from being a retailer.
The future of every newsagency depends on the leadership team making their own choices, pursuing margin, new traffic, efficiency and business defining opportunities. The future depends on managing the old model – sale or return – while learning and engaging with the new (not really new but new for some newsagents) model of being a retailer going out, finding new stock and purchasing this on a firm sale basis.
Sometimes, a magazine does present an opportunity to work with firm sale stock. The new Art Therapy partwork is a good example. I heard about it, asked for 160 copies and used these to leverage the TV ad generated traffic for the benefit of the large range I have in store of higher margin product. It has been a good win win.
While I do look at the growing range of magazine titles in this space, my main focus remains on the higher margin products including books, pencils, erasers and other items over which I have more control. This is the future of newsagency retail – being an engaged retailer rather than being a good agent.
I am sure I read on here just a week or so ago you telling someone they should not be sending these back early ?
On the topic has everyone checked there supplies for tomorrows Art partworks / mines cut in 3rds , once again disappointed with the supply of partworks
Shaun the Art Therapy partwork launch should not be sent back while the TVC is running and driving traffic.
is issue 2 out tomorrow ? we won’t be getting any if thats so. Sold out of issue 1 in 2 days (44)
yes number 2 out tomorrow
just had a look at all my invoices, we are getting none, sold 44 in 2 days. just had a look at gotchonline, we are supposed to get 15 ! yet another massive fail with partworks
not even surprised, the part works supply model is just as broken as the magazine’s.
Are they still running the Art Therapy #1 ad’s on TV? Pointless if everyones sold out and its going to take over 3 months to produce more. Or it would seem to be pointless from our end, I’m sure anyone subscribing will get a copy of issue 1 straight away.
Yes Steve, it was on tonight. Frustrating for all involved. Typically when you book a TV ad you pay on the basis of running time and taking it off would be a waste in that they have an ad for issue #1 only. That’s what I think.
Here is what Gotch sent to newsagents last Friday:
Dear Newsagent,
Thanks again for your support of Art Therapy.
Based on the sales from the first four days we are expecting Part 1 to be a national sell-out by the end of this week-end.
There is no more stock available for Part 1 but you will be able from tomorrow to put in back orders for Part 1. Please note that the publisher would be looking to reprint stock for back orders of Part 1 as no other stock is available worldwide, however this additional stock will not be available for approximately 3 months as it would need to be reprinted in China. Please only order back orders if you have customer orders, as this stock will only be provided on a firm sale basis and at a later stage.
Due to the success of Part 1 the publisher has confirmed the on-sale of Part 2 will be moved forward to Thurs 17th September for NSW ,Vic & Qld stores and Mon 21st September for all other states. Part 2 is priced at $4.99 and contains a magazine, storage box and 3 felt tips. The publisher is also air-freighting from the UK additional stock of Part 2 next week that we are expecting to distribute WC 28th September as some finishing is needed. Please again only put in back-orders if you have confirmed customer orders.
We will be speaking again to the publisher early next week in regards to bringing forward the on-sale of Part 3 which moves up to the regular price of $7.99 and a weekly frequency.
Thanks again for your continued support of partworks and we will send a further update communication next week.
Gordon & Gotch Partworks
I am returning in excess of $1000 of supplementary returns of just various adult colouring books which range from $6.99 to $23.99 each twelve months ago no one knew about adult colouring books. It appears that Bauer and Gotch found another way of banking my money sorry bot not this little black duck, despite a large display I found that most of them do not sell, I did leave myself at least two of each so I will have a good range, however I find that beside that part works the rest does not sell.