Most of the calendars we sell in our newsXpress Forest Hill store we selected by title, carefully based on past year sales data and with attention to our demographic. Like special interest magazines, our calendars speak to range. They pull customers in looking for special interest titles – because they have seen them before in our shop or because of word of mouth.
For most of our pre Christmas customers, calendar price is not an issue.
Several times, customers have told us that we have saved them buying a certain calendar title online – they love that they were able to buy it over the counter. These are customers who will be back next year. Some will also be back for the Boxing Day sale for a second and third calendar – we have stocked up for this.
The Ferrets calendar is a good example of demonstrating a point of difference. Ask a newsagent if they would carry it and most would say no. However, once you have had some success with calendars and you want to expand on that you will soon find yourself carrying and selling the Ferrets calendar.
Like overseas crossword titles, calendars from magazine companies are, for the most part, a waste of time and space. You can build the kind of business you want.