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Are newsagents getting left behind in the shift in stationery?

IMG_0850A seismic shift has occurred in stationery that appears to have left newsagents behind, even newsagents with good stationery sales today.

Understanding the shift starts with and understanding of what constitutes stationery. To many newsagents, the definition of stationery is traditional: pens, pencils, rulers, tape, pads, folders, the types of items you would have seen in a stationery department ten and twenty years ago.

To understand stationery today we need to ask shoppers what they consider to be stationery. We also need to look at what other businesses are marketing as stationery.

The shopper definition has changed. Sure, the old-school everyday items such as pens, pencils, rulers and the like are considered to be stationery. There is also a more relevant to today range, like you see in Smiggle, Kikki.k and Typo – what we typically call social stationery but what shoppers call stationery.

I am sure there are shoppers visiting a newsagency today and walking out because they are not seeing Typo or Kikki.k type products.

Do a Google search for stationery in any major city and you will see Typo, Kikki.k and even Smiggle come up in search results. These businesses that many newsagents do not consider to be direct stationery competitors are coming up in search results. They are positioning themselves as newsagent competitors.

While many newsagents have focussed on the traditional and see flat and falling sales, growth in this new segment of the stationery marketplace has been rapid. More stores have opened and they have got better in terms of ranging and pitching.

Smiggle, Typo and Kikki.k have been educating shoppers and it is paying off.

Talking to someone from a mid-size business earlier this week, the admin person responsible for stationery has permission to purchase desk supplies from Typo because it makes the staff happier. While that is only one story, it is an example of the seismic shift I am talking abut.

Where are newsagents and their traditional suppliers in this? While some are engaged, that engagement is nowhere near the scope I see from our competitions, those leading shoppers to re-think what constitutes stationery – like Typo and Kikki.k.

For us to be relevant in this new world of stationery we need a fresh offer in-store. This comes from fresh products, fresh ins-store placement, fresh out of store marketing. Most of all, it starts with us redefining for ourselves and those in our business a fresh approach to stationery.

We can do it. Some of us are. But not enough for newsagents to be top of mind for the shopper out there heading to Typo or Kikki.k for their next stationery purchase.

Footnote: the photo is from the Typo store at the Canberra centre that I visited yesterday. It is large, impressive and busy.

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  1. GNS Marketing

    GNS introduced the Skweek and Urban by Modena ranges of ‘fashion’ stationery last year, which are available exclusively to newsagents. These are every bit as colourful and fun as the products available from other retailers, who remain largely unchallenged in this space.
    Check out our Facebook page for examples of stores that have successfully introduced the ranges, and please speak to your GNS BDM about these products if you’re interested.
    We’d be delighted to work with any newsagent that wants a piece of this action!

    4 likes

  2. MARK RICHARDSON

    Mark I have to agree with you, I’m not sure about GNS but I know when I was on the Ancol board there was little or no effort made to keep up with new “trends” in stationery.

    In fact the management at Ancol had no retail knowledge or even attempted to browse any new concept stores .

    I’m not in Newspower but you only have to look at their catalogue to see how staid they are.

    Whilst GNS and Ancol my introduce a range of “fashion” stationery it’s usually confined to notebooks and other associated lines.

    There is no whole of stationery range concept.

    Just look at sovereign brand, seriously, is that the best they can do , the packaging and presentation of that brand is doing a disservice to Newsagents.

    Much could be done with new and bold colors enabling color blocking and a new look to or shelves.

    Invoice statement books, time books,ect ect yes they are boring ,but with a revamp you shop would have a new fresh feel.

    It seems to me that GNS and Ancol do not have the will to look at stationery as an opportunity to create new and exciting ranges and designs.

    Instead they stock product which looks the same as it did 20 years ago.

    There has been a culture within our stationery suppliers to not change but instead wheel out the same product year after year.

    Playing it safe has been their game, however this attitude will not cut it in todays competive market.

    When you have Newsagents suggesting to our wholesalers, they need new products/designs and all you get back is every reason why not to do it , well then you have a problem a big problem ,I have encountered this attitude many times over the years.

    9 likes

  3. Mark Fletcher

    My post is about a picture far bigger than two lines. The competitor examples are whole of store.

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