I spent time yesterday at the Reed Gift Fair in Melbourne looking at product for our shops, catching up with some newsagents and checking in on the Tower Systems stand.
There were plenty for products suitable for newsagents who want to expand their gift range. This is a view shared by other newsagents I talked with. While the stationery related items I saw are easy to fit in our stores, I preferred some of the homewares products which could easily be sold in newsagencies.
Entrepreneurial newsagents are tapping into fashion related gift items and driving a better return from floor space. This Melbourne Fair shows off those opportunities for newsagents open to change. If you come along with newsagent eyes then you will think it is a waste of time. As some people would say, this fair, for newsagents attending, is about new money. That is why those I spoke with at the fair liked it so much. New money = new customers, better margin and more control.
Mark….
While I congratulate you on your constant drive to improve your stores, frequently on this blog are your comments about other businesses, (e.g. Officeworks, Australia Post, etc) intruding on newsagent products such as ink, office supplies and so forth, yet you are advocating the introduction of homewares products into newsagents. These products are the business of shops like Loot, House, and other specialty stores.
Would this not be the same vein as other businesses stocking similar products to newsagents….just a thought.
Daniel,
I am only critical of Australia Post because, in my view, the attack they make through their government owned stores against newsagents is outside thei brief permitted under the Act.
Officeworks are a competitor like anyone else.
Newsagents must diversify. For some this will be into gifts and homewares.
This is free enterprise at work.
mark
Hi Mark,
I am thinking about going down to the Sydney Gift Fare on the 21st – 24 Feb. We are about to try and go into gift lines and we were wondering if this is a good fair and place to start…
Cheers
Peter
Peter it is a great place to start. It will be overwhelming so take your time. Do some thinking before you go about what you want your shop to stand for in gifts. Set a budget. Be sure you know how you plan to display these.