I’ve visited several outlets selling newspapers today (Sunday) and continue to be frustrated at the treatment of newsagents by publishers compared to other outlets.
At petrol outlets, supermarkets and convenience stores you see newspaper product stacked next to magazines, away from the high traffic area. No promotional material. No over the counter support.
In newsagencies today you see the newspapers in the highest traffic area, supported by promotional material and promoted across the counter in one way or another. Newsagents rely on newspapers whereas these other retailers do not.
Rather than embracing newsagents publishers pursue other retail outlets such as cafes, cinemas and nurseries. It does not make sense to me that they pursue outlets which will not actively support newspaper product and that they do this to the detriment of the newsagent channel where the bulk of their sought after compliance exists.
If publishers changed the way they engage with newsagents they could increase sales. They need to replace the master/slave relationship with a mutually respectful business relationship which rewards success. Getting the newsagents obey rules does not make for better newsagents and increase sales. All it does is bring good performers down to the level others have climbed to.
I’m breaking rules in my newsagency and on several days this is paying off through increased sales. I’d like to break more rules but I dare not. I’d like to insert flyers for my shop in the newspapers I sell to draw people back but I’m not allowed. I’d like to move newspapers further into the store and create a kick ass display but I’m not allowed. I’d like to offer an over the counter discount package for loyal customers but I am not allowed.
Publishers should control the distraction by Craigslist, Google, Yahoo and other online plays and work with the retail channel. This could soften the impact of these and other disruptive influences. Being smart and co-operative right now could mean the difference between surviving the tsunami of change or not.