Mars is embracing temporary re-naming os Snickers like plenty of other food companies to give shoppers an additional reason to purchase. A Snickers bar labelled as a chocolate bar called Absurd turns the Snickers into a fun gift for someone, thereby expanding the reach of their product.
This is a smart marketing move, not trail-blazing, but certainly smart. Retailers have the promotional product at the counter for impulse purchase.
In our own patch, we have seen Smiggle, Typo and others follow a similar model of getting people to buy more of an item than they would by focussing on product design over function.
The more reasons there can be to purchase an item the better. Emotional reasons are the best as they are more likely to drive impulse purchases.
I have been playing with video software and made this video a few days ago to promote cards and newsXpress businesses as part of my mucking around. The reaction on social media has been terrific. It is the type of post that lends itself to people tagging friends, which extends the reach of the video and the brand it promotes.
I ran this on a few Facebook pages and in each case is resulted in terrific engagement as well as in-store mentions.
With social media content being disposable, I am not overthinking content and always look for easy to create, quick to understand and fun content. Regular fresh new content is the key here.
Each time a sale rep. steps into your shop to sell you products there is a sales target they need to meet to justify their time. Depending on your location, the sales target cold be for the town or region. This can see their products in competitor stores.
Buying from a business that does not have reps could feed into a point of difference for your shop. It all depends on how the supplier manages retail partner locations.
In my experience, businesses without sales reps tend to have better systems to leverage office based sales. This can see them better manage retail location data, thereby ensuing better local retailer borders.
Buying from a head office online or over the phone costs the supplier business less. If they are smart this is reflected in their pricing.
In another retail channel of which I have knowledge, a mid-size supplier cut all ten of their sales reps, saving the business $1.2M a year in wages, vehicle and on-costs. They invested close to this in the first year in enhanced back office facilities to enable online ordering and stock management. Today, three years on, their customers benefit from the savings through lower prices and this, in turn, is fuelling revenue growth.
While I know many newsagents respect and appreciate the personal contact with sales reps in-store, the costs today are such that the model for many suppliers is not appropriate. We as a channel need to expect fewer reps and to see businesses moving to that model and doing so in a way that can benefit us.
Pitching staff favourite cards at the counter is easy and it boosts sales. It is also personal, providing customers with an insight into the cards your team members love. I recommend every card retailer try this.
Here is how we pitch this at one of my stores, at the counter:
The capex is minimal as you can see from the photo. Keeping the pitch simple is important. Let the cards speak for themselves.
I know of one store that started this a year ago and now they keep stock of cards behind the counter to assist fulfilment.
My suggestion is to not manage staff card selection in any way. This ensures you have a broad mix of cards on offer. This is key. Also, have there cards changed weekly as well as the location of each team member in the line-up.
Cards are important in our businesses. They offer excellent margin. We need to leverage every opportunity possible to get people purchasing more cards. On impulse is critical as this is where the card collector, the person who buys a card because they like it rather than to serve a specific near-term need, is good.
At the counter as I write about here, at the exit to the shop and at other high traffic locations – we need to pitch cards to grow our sales and to get more people engaged with the category. This latter point is important as the more people buy and use cards the better for all of us. We can grow engagement by showing off cards people have not entered our shops intending to purchase.
Slime has been hot for almost two years. This past school holidays it has again been a top seller, easily purchased at the counter on impulse.
Slime is popular on social media, pulling good engagement and helping draw attention to retailers pitching it.
Best of all, slime is a terrific interactive product that can bring the noise of fun and laughter to the shop, which can lift the business and drive shopper engagement.
We have featured a range of slime products since last year and there is no feeling we will pull back from this at the moment.
What is interesting is that slime sells to a diverse group of people. For sure the diverse group purchases slime for kids, I get that. I have also seen slime purchased as a gift for a co-worker in an office, by someone as a stress release item and by someone to use in tactile engagement with someone with physical challenges.
I love the diversity of uses as that helps us be diverse in put pitching of the product.
It is good to have slime open at the counter for team members to play with. This, too, will drive sales.
Slime is popular online. The term is popular in search engines. People are searching how to make it, what to do with it and where to buy it.
I am at the Atlanta Gift Fair this week. Thinking about recent comments here about overseas fairs, here is a short video from inside one of the three buildings this fair fully uses in downtown Atlanta. It is made up of permanent space allocation where suppliers have permanent professional showrooms as well as temporaries, which are more traditional (for Australia) trade show booth, for the duration of the trade show.
Next month my POS software company is hosting free and open workshops for independent small business retailers on e-commerce and, in particular, POS software connected websites.
I will be at each event and provide insights into how in my own shops we leverage online to attract new shoppers in-store and well as to sell to people we will never meet.
There will be a live look at the websites, an explanation of the POS software connection and a look under the hood at traffic and the work undertaken to get people landing on the sites.
Folks here are most welcome to attend. Here is the announcement notice for the sessions:
FREE POS SOFTWARE WORKSHOP INVITATION
Win new customers and increase revenue with a POS software connected website
Join us for a practical, jargon-free, workshop where we show the value of our Aussie developed and supported POS software and website solutions. See awesome POS software and successful websites for your type of business.
What is interesting at sessions like this is the common ground interests discovered between retailers from different channels. It is a thrill to see this emerge and retailers talk with each other and learn from each other.
I will be at each session. I hope to see you there. Book now, online.
MyLotto24 published this note announcing their closure:
Dear Customer,
As you may know, the government recently introduced a total ban on international lottery betting; choosing to protect the interests of the existing lottery monopoly instead of customers and newsagents (who stood to benefit from a brand-new income stream).
Unfortunately, despite doing everything in our power to be able to continue bringing you greater innovation and access to life-changing winnings, we have had to take the tough decision to leave the Australian market.
I’d like to thank you for your very valued custom and support through our journey.
Our website will be closed down on the 23 of July, which means you will no longer be able to access your accounts or place any bets after this date. If you have an active subscription ticket this will be deactivated for you. We will also refund you for any outstanding draws after this date.
Your funds will be paid out to your saved payment card. If you have not used a payment card to top up your balance, please contact Customer Services so arrangements can be made to refund your account balance.
A bland shop is one that meets expectations for the type of business it is, one where expectations are met such that it does not need to be explored.
Whereas years ago, meeting expectations was a goal, in retail today it is not. Today, shops need to be extraordinary, so people do want to explore them. This is a tough challenge for small business retailers, especially those who don’t see themselves as retailers.
Compare the expectation / anticipation of people walking past a newsagency pitching magazines, newspapers and lotteries versus the a newsagency pitching Harry Potter products, Squishies and jigsaws, with no sign of lotteries, magazines or newspapers from the front of the business.
The second business described above is more likely to attract new shoppers than the first. While it may turn away the regular shopper, it equally may not.
The first business described above will only attract the regular shopper and those looking to shop in a traditional newsagency. That is a declining pool of people, being served by a declining network of businesses.
We stand out by buying to stand out, displaying products to stand out, offering services that differentiate and speaking outside our businesses, on social media and elsewhere, in ways that do not connect us with what has been traditional for our type of business.
Years ago, back inn the 1980s and even 1990s, a bland newsagency is what suppliers and others encouraged from our channel as they pursued a one size fits all approach to product mix and store layout. They were aided and abetted by shop-fitters, key suppliers and even accountants and bankers. That focus left too man y businesses in our channel rooted in a world of bland that some find it difficult to break free from today.
Today, a bland business is okay as long as that is your intent, as long as you want to serve the shopper looking for a traditional newsagency from yesteryear. A bland business is not okay if you want new traffic in your business, if you want growth if you want a business that is more saleable.
Seth Godin talks about this in his excellent book Purple Cow. Here is a snapshot of the message he pitches:
A Queensland newsagent contacted me to say they are set to receive category 1 adult magazines tomorrow, a category they are not permitted to sell. They asked me to mention it here so newsagents check.
A newsagent told me recently that a supplier deceptively changed the terms of their agreement by modifying text on one page relating to the term of the agreement. They found out when they asked for a copy of the signed agreement to be sent to them.
While they are certain of the term, the agreement sent to them had a different term, a longer term with penalty for earlier termination.
Situations like this can be avoided if simple processes are followed.
For every agreement you sign in business:
Only sign an agreement with which you are completely happy.
Initial every page of the agreement.
Take a copy of every page and store this in a safe place.
Return the agreement to the supplier for countersigning and ask, in writing, for a copy of the countersigned agreement to be sent to you.
Check the copy of the agreement the supplier returns to you with your own copy. If there is a discrepancy, point it out in writing immediately.
Because of the lack of evidence it could be hard for the newsagent to make a case against the supplier. It would come down to recollection.
I am aware of this happening previously, of a supplier changing an agreement. In one instance, the newsagent did have a copy of what they signed. In that matter, the supplier quickly retreated.
Not satisfied with getting the daily newspaper delivered to their property for a few cents each day, some customers demand a lever of service for which they do not pay.
Here are several examples of customer service requests I have seen customers make in the last few weeks of home delivery newsagents (not my businesses as as I am retail only):
Hi can you please make sure the newspaper is thrown to land within two metres of the front door? When you throw it on the driveway I have to walk too far across and I am usually in my underwear.
I am happy for the weekday papers to be put on the driveway but for the weekend papers can you throw them over the side fence so I can get them out the back door. Thank you.
Please place the newspaper on the front door mat. I refuse to pay if you do not do this.
When it raise can you please put the paper in the waterproof box I have next to the letter box. It opens with a latch. Please open this put the paper in and close it and double check it is closed. I know you put the paper in plastic. I prefer it in the waterproof box on the wet days.
I am very pleased with the paper delivery service. I would appreciate it however if the weekend papers could be thrown on the concrete drive or before it.
I think the girl who used to deliver er our paper did a better job that the boy we have now.
I keep the plastic you put the newspaper in. l can you come and collect and re use it. If you give me a discount that would be good.
I was away from the shack last weekend and only found out now you missed the Saturday paper. Please credit me for it. Today’s paper came on time.
I am away next week can you deliver my paper to [xxx] at [xxx] it is only four streets away. I told her she could have my paper while I am on holidays. Thank you.
Newspaper home delivery is a thankless task in many areas. Newspaper publishers and many home delivery customers do not realise what the service providers have to put up with.
The list above, from multiple home delivery businesses reflects first world problems.
Here is a press release from ALNA on today’s announcement:
Lottery protections extended by NSW Government
Protections that prevent lotteries from being sold in large supermarket chains have been extended to 2021 by the NSW Government, to protect consumers and small business.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Australia, 9 July 2018: The Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA), is pleased that today Deputy Premier and Minister for Small Business John Barilaro has announced a three-year extension to an agreement with Tabcorp to not open up lottery sales to large supermarket chains.
Adam Joy, CEO of the Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association (ALNA) said, “This is a win for small business and a victory of common sense. Securing the extension of these protections for our members has been an important priority area ALNA has been working diligently on with Deputy Premier and Minister for Small Business John Barilaro.
“Minister Barilaro has been a long-time supporter of our industry, and ALNA continues to maintain a productive working relationship with the NSW Government on lotteries and other important legislation and regulatory matters that support our channel. We greatly appreciate his efforts and leadership to deliver what is a really positive extension period, which makes sure newsagents will continue as the primary outlets for the sale of lottery products.
“Lotteries don’t operate in a free market because gambling products aren’t like other products, which is why governments regulate their access to consumers. This is a good thing for consumers and provides safeguards to them and the 1,400 lottery agents who sell lottery tickets in NSW.
“By the NSW Government signing a renewed Memorandum of Understanding with Tabcorp, newsagents can be assured that they will not be competing with large supermarket chains to sell lottery products. This extension follows on from positive news of last month’s amendment to the Interactive Gambling Bill, which will make lotto betting prohibited in Australia by early 2019. We are pleased to have helped bring these assurances to our members.”
Ibram Kamil, General Manager of ALNA NSW, and also a newsagent, commented, “This outcome for newsagents and lottery agents allows us to continue growing and evolving our businesses with certainty and strong support from the NSW Government. I know they are going to really appreciate this.”
On behalf of our NSW members and their staff, the ALNA thanks the NSW Government for its efforts to extend the agreement with Tabcorp to not make lottery sales available to large supermarket chains, to protect NSW consumers and to champion these small businesses. And we encourage them to continue important support for our member small business news and lottery agents.
“The Australian Lottery and Newsagents Association will continue to provide strong advocacy for our members, including to help newsagents receive better deals on the lottery products that they are legally permitted to sell,” concluded Mr Joy.
While there will be some who say what about online or what about commissions, in my view this is a good win for newsagents by ALNA, something to celebrate and appreciate by small business lottery retailers.
Based on the deals being put about to full trade show hall booth space over the next couple of months it appears as if trade shows are not as popular with suppliers as they used to be. Discounts as high as 75% are being offered.
Fom a retailer perspective, the local Australian trade shows are not as popular as they used to be because of the sameness across suppliers. Online is a factor too with buying direct from overseas easier and faster than ever.
The other factor is local competition. Retailers who want unique products can feel they are less likely to find this at a trade show attended by any retailer.
I think we are at a point in time when trade shows can be reinvented, to match the needs of retailers today: easier ordering, shorter lead times, more efficient for suppliers, smarter geographic quarantining and integrated supply from a data perspective. We also need fewer trade shows, to reduce the costs for suppliers as these costs end up being met by retailers.
Pitching magazines on social media works best in my experience when we focus in on photos of items on covers and inside rather than full covers with the masthead. Here are two recent examples.
We are running a Christmas in July promotion for three weeks to attract new shoppers through different approach to a regular sale approach. While this is an optional national newsXpress promotion, each store selects its own products for promotion. In our case we have brought in some products to pitch, to bring a genuine Christmas theme to the opportunity.
Running across the front of the store on the lease line, it is attracting shoppers from the mall. People are telling us they like the 10 x $500 cash prizes on offer.
We figured a Christmas in July retail store pitch was better than a Mid Year Sale pitch as plenty of other retailers, especially in shopping malls, are doing this time of the year. So far, a week in, it is working a treat. We are clearing some slow moving lines and moving at good margin items bough in especially for this promotion.
The traffic boost we are already seeing also plays well for other parts of the business as people drawn by the promotion do shop the shop to see what else we sell. It is a thrill to see this.
In addition to the in-store pitch with posters and displays, we are promoting Christmas in July on social media. This is being done with collateral that matches the in-store collateral. There are also price tickets and other collateral that leverage a single consistent message re the 10 x $500 cash prizes on offer nationally. Here is the main A1 double sided collateral we are using:
By running this as Christmas in July we leverage a growing mini-season in Australia and do so in a way the we can build on over the years if we wish – through a structured approach that does lend itself to consistent execution in-store.
Filling these months between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day with traffic-driving events is important to smoothing traffic and revenue flow in newsagency business. While peaks from seasons and terrific, the troughs can be challenging. It is our job as retailers to fill the troughs with businesses. That is what I am on about here.
The news that Walmart is to acquire 77% of Flipkart, an Indian eCommerce platform, for US$16B has received little attention here, yet it should interest every retailer. This move is further evidence of seismic shifts in retail globally. Extraordinary stuff.
Earlier this week it was the turn of the Gold Coast Bulletin to pitch the $1.00 a day home delivery offer on to the masthead of the newspaper they have retailers selling in-store for $1.70. They take a product they claim is worth $1.70, add expensive personal home delivery and discount it by 41%. The discount is at a level that sounds too good to be true.
Desperate times I guess…
I get that subscriptions play a vital role in the newspaper revenue model. However, why they are not 100% focussed on digital only subscriptions is the surprise, as that is the future for news delivery. I think they could do that pitch without this apparent trashing of the over the counter newspaper purchase.
News Corp. will do what it sees as appropriate for its business. Their intensifying of home delivery discounting should get retail newsagents thinking carefully about the role of newspapers in their businesses. I know of newsagents who have quit the category without detriment.
The Tatts network outage today will have a considerable cost to retailers. Being a $12M Powerball day, there is labour to consider along with other lost sales due to a drop in foot traffic given the public news of the network outage.
The National Retailers Association last month provided guidance on how to handle a claim re a NAB EFTPOS outage. I share it here for those considering whether they wish to seek compensation from Tatts:
On 26 May 2018, the online transaction network of the National Australia Bank (NAB) suffered an outage which caused NAB EFTPOS and HICAPS terminals to be inoperative.
As a result of this, businesses may have suffered losses due to the inability of customers to purchase goods or services.
NAB undertaking with respect to business losses
NAB has undertaken to compensate those businesses who suffered losses because of this outage.
Businesses affected by this outage are invited to contact NAB on the following numbers:
For NAB Transact and/or EFTPOS services – 1300 369 852
For HICAPS services – 1300 650 852
For other business compensation inquiries – 13 10 12
What to prepare
When seeking compensation, NAB will likely require some form of evidence to substantiate your claim for compensation.
Evidence of:
changes in sales patterns due to the outage (eg. a sudden drop in sales after the outage occurred); and/or
differences in sales between 26 May 2018 and the previous and subsequent Saturday; are likely to be of assistance.
Newsagents with software that records previous sales and other data points could easily quantify the commercial impact of the Tatts outage. While school holidays will be a factor along with some other aspects such weather, one ought be able to make a case. This is especially true for businesses with larger Tatts sales, with dedicated labour costs.
Tatts implied commercial impact in their announcement of a delay to the draw. This notice issued by them could be part of a claim by retailers as it acknowledges the problem.
Hopefully, Tatts management will advise retailers, if they have not done so already, the process for determining compensation. In the meantime, lottery retailers should undertake their own enquiries into this, to understand their rights and actions open to them.
Click here for the story. OzLotteries is an online lottery sales business that operates with a Tatts licence. Click here for a report from Motley Fool on Jumbo from earlier this year.
Plugging the heavily discounted $1.00 a day newspaper home delivery across the masthead of The Daily Telegraph does not make sense to me.
Home delivery is not cost effective for publishers without good advertiser support and we are told advertising revenue is in decline for daily newspapers.
Newspaper home delivery is expensive yet the fees paid often do not cover the real actual cost to the distribution newsagent.
Newspapers are not bought for news today like they were years ago. The news they carry is old, out of date. While the analysis may be interesting, it is rare anyone gets a breaking stock from a print newspaper.
Retail only newsagents are disrespected by the publisher pitching this $1.00 offer on a product they sell in-store for $1.70.
While I get that publishers need subscribers in their mix, to be able to pitch to advertisers, it frustrates me that they do this through disrespect for their retailers.
Do you hand out the Wellness catalogue promoting Chemist Warehouse and circulated in at least some cities with News Corp. newspapers? I ask today because a newsagent mentioned to me recently they trash Wellness rather than push it on newspaper customers. They found little interest in what is essentially an ad catalogue. That and lack of fair compensation got them refusing to hand out the title.
So, do you hand out Wellness?
Thinking about this issue more broadly, it is time advertisers and publishers respected retail newsagents more. Every action has a cost. Publishers reflect this in their pricing of advertising. Sadly, they do not respect newsagents in the same way.
The decades-long expectation that newsagents will go the extra mile for free for publishers because of the broader relationship, usually through distribution services, is not relevant today with so many of us retail agent and accessing newspapers as sub agents and thus earning very little from newspapers.
Every extra service has a cost. We need to be compensated fairly. Otherwise, we should not provide the service.
