In a rebuff to the newsagent retail network, Fairfax is promoting Ad Online – a Fairfax website through which advertisers can place ads directly. In their flyer Fairfax promotes that Ad Online is available 24/7, flexible and convenient. They even offer free on site training. But to get to Ad Online you have to call – not the best start of an online offering supposed to make things easier.
While I can understand Fairfax wanting to strengthen their direct connect with advertisers, an investment in training newsagents in selling and placing classifieds would engage an army, in Victoria and New South Wales, of 1,700 businesses. Newsagents see potential advertisers every day.