I was surprised to see the report in the Financial Review yesterday (page 46) about the move being made by NANA, the NSW Newsagent’s Association, against Gordon and Gotch over imported magazines and, in particular, a boycott of overseas magazines.
The article says that the market is flooded with high-priced overseas magazines. This is not my experience. Through Gotch I can control the titles I receive and the quantities. I like getting a range of overseas titles Gotch – as would anyone who claims to be a magazine specialist.
Whether I carry a title or not ought to be based on the return I achieve and the overall value it adds to my magazine offer. While the magazine distribution system is not ideal, I find Gotch to be (usually) responsible to supply adjustments.
I would have thought that the best approach to resolving the issue would have been to to discuss the evidence (data) in a professional way. Maybe there is something I am missing but a boycott seems heavy-handed at this stage.
NANA has done some excellent work of late on Bill Express (with the QNF) and NSW Lotteries. I think their forecast moves against Gotch are missplaced. I’d rather see more negotiation.
I wonder how much these proposed moves against overseas magazines is being driven by Australian publishers who want more of the market for themselves.
I am not so keen on a total boycott on overseas mags by Gotch as we do sell quite a few titles in our shop.
Yes there are definitely some titles that we do not sell at all and G&G kept sending to us.
Lately I have started to use their online standing order to cancel/reduce.
Also doing supplementary returns as well. Gotch should take full heed of these supplementary returns as indications to adjust supplies.
It doesn’t make sense to waste resources both ends to send/return these magazines.
It makes perfect sense if you get paid for what is sent, not on what is sold. I have no issues with Gotch as you can adjust supply and they comply. Network on the otherhand…what a joke.
Mark,
We are having big problems with Gotch. Our bill was up by a huge amount last month. We adjust our supplies online, but then new titles appear. We only have oversupply issues with overseas titles, not the majors! We aren’t sure why as our other store receives what they sell + 25%. We had the same problems with NDD but QNF were able to help us sort that out very quickly. They are investigating what we can do with Gotch – we love having a diverse range, but 5 new crossword titles a month for the last couple of years is a bit much.
Hi Sarah Gotch have levels of stock suppy + levels of stock numbers We are 5.2 we were 6 which was the max, more stock then we were selling. our aim was to cut the odd U S mags.You must stand firm but haveing said that gotch in the end were most helpful E G 5.2 would get more numbers then 5.1 but less then 5.3 ,on the same numbers of titles.If you were a 1 you would only get the main sellers and as you go from 1 to 6 you get more titles ,then you have changeing levels of numbers. Speak to your person in Sydney who sets the level + the numbers.