Australian Newsagency Blog

The Guardian reports that News International is offering a free home delivery service for newspaper subscribers.  The service is fulfilled by a third party provider.  The article claims that a subscriber could save fifty pounds a year in delivery charges.

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Newsagents and other retailers in the UK are boycotting the sale of Vodafone recharge this weekend for the third time in a row with the company over its cut in retailer commission.  See Mobile News International for the full report.  There is a website, www.topupratecut.biz, for retailers to register their support for the campaign.
A public […]

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The Irish Herald reports that Irish newsagents are refusing to process tollway payments because of poor commission. The head of the Convenience Stores & Newsagents Association says his members would lose money if they agreed to the terms offered.
Mr Jennings said his members would be providing the service at a […]

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EconCeleb 2008 is a one day conference in Los Angeles today about celebrity content, how old and new media can monetise this and how content is distributed. It’s the kind of conference I’d love to attend because it would provide an excellent insight into trends which are sure to impact magazine sales in […]

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The Advertiser/Sunday Mail are looking for energetic motivated individuals to join an exciting new venture preparing and delivering newspapers to home delivery and retail customers.
This text is from an ad running at CareerOne for the Adelaide Advertiser, part of News Ltd’s stable of newspapers. South Australian newsagents are naturally concerned about what this exciting […]

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The Newsstand Association of Philadelphia has started a blog. I like the mission statement at their blog:

The Newsstand Association of Philadelphia (NAP) was formed by newsstand owners to provide solidarity and support for each other, while providing a much needed service for the general public and business community.

I found their website because I have […]

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Work started three days ago on a new Sophie Randall card and gift shop in Toorak. This will be our fourth Sophie store, the first opened in February last year.
This shop has its challenges: 60 sq metres, round in shape, 70% of all walls glass, two entrances, no back room and a column right […]

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Office Depot, the US office supplies chain, has opened its first “green” store - in Texas. The press release from the company claims “green” status on the basis of energy and water use efficiencies built into the store and the range of “green” products it will offer customers. This is a point of […]

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The photo is of the front page of the Sun Herald which I got in Brisbane this morning. The Sun Herald is the Sydney newspaper out of Fairfax, the Sunday edition of the Sydney Morning Herald. What caught my eye was the line above the masthead: Powered by brisbanetimes.com.au. The Brisbane Times […]

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The Globe and Mail has a story about newsstands closing in Canada. Newsagents should read this. Not to get depressed but to understand the need for retail reinvention.
Sure media disruption is impacting the newsagency / newsstand business. My view is that the bigger impact is our channel’s failure to invest in our […]

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The trend of falling commission on mobile recharge in the UK continues. Mobile Today reported yesterday that Vodafone has just announced a commission drop to between 3% and 4% for newsagents.
One way telcos can help their retail partners weather commission cuts is to work with them on more efficient lower operational cost in-store platforms. […]

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There is a discussion going on among some newsagent associations as to which type of business can join. This discussion made be curious about whether newsagents would like sub agents to be able to join a newsagents’ association.
<a href=”http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/786535/” >Should sub agents be allowed to join a newsagents’ association?</a> <br /> <span […]

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On June 27, the Queensland Committee of the ANF, formed by the national body in accordance with its Constitution, resigned. In advising the ANF Board of the decision, the committee members stated:
The members of the Qld Committee of the ANF have unanimously resolved to resign from their positions as an expression of concern at the […]

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I have been shown a document sent to a newsagent considering the Suncorp Eftpos arrangements being promoted by the ANF in the wake of the collapse of Bill Express.
The document I have seen claims the ANF receives 40% of the commission amount paid on prepaid product and that the newsagent receives 60% of the commission […]

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The story which needs to be written about Bill Express is one about how an industry association sold its soul, cost its members tens of millions of dollars and walked away with a nice profit, only to sell its soul to the next in line.
Journalists need to be wary of the statements being made by […]

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As industries and communication channels like cable, the Internet, XM radio and even book publishing migrate toward an on-demand, highly targeted model, the future of news media depends on leveraging new trends and opportunities and harnessing new technologies. And today, advanced digital printing technology makes the vision of creating totally variable newspapers a practical reality.

So […]

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As a result of internal miss-communication, some newsagents have been told by call centre staff at St.George / Bank SA that they need to be a member of the ANF to access the St.George merchant service rates I negotiated for newsagents. Newsagents do not need to be a member of the ANF. All […]

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Where newsagents can make a choice on product lines we will carry, the quantity we carry and the retail price in our stores sale or return terms ought not be part of the equation. SOR terms make us lazy. They make suppliers lazy too. SOR is one reason newsagents don’t do […]

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We are finally developing plans for a new shop fit for our Frankston newsagency.  I say finally because we have been working on this off and on for the last six months.  Beyond the challenge of the physical space itself (columns, no back room etc) is the challenge of developing a layout which is fresh […]

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MediaPost reports that Auto magazines are struggling in the US with many reporting double digit declines. Year on year to June 30 2008, motoring title unit sales are down 4% at our Forest Hill location. I’d expect to see growth this financial year based in part of renewed interest in the category because […]

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Marketing outside your newsagency is essential to growing the business. Too often I see newsagents rely on existing traffic or natural growth to boost sales. The latest Create Art flyer from newsXpress will bring new customers looking for quality art products at good prices. Some of these new customers will stick. […]

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Check out the graphicdesigner blog for journalist layoffs by newspaper publishers in the US this year.  It’s gruesome and indicates the impact of disruption on old media.

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The LA Times is now available for the Amazon Kindle Reader according to the LA Times blog.  This is another step in the evolution of news distribution.

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Maghound is an online subscription website developed by Time Inc. in the US for selling magazine subscriptions. They have close to 300 titles already. What is interesting is the ability to subscribe to multiple titles and have one charge.
Maghound subscribers will also be able to switch between titles mid subscription - that’s weird. […]

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I have heard that there is media interest in the court case being mounted by Corie and Tammy Schwarzl against Supanews.  Their blog has a sniff of this story.  I have heard elsewhere that the story of what happened to them at Supanews Tuggerah is if for serious attention.

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