We received four copies of the last issue of Gameinformer magazine. Yesterday, we received twenty-four copies of the latest issue. A 600% increase in supply is extraordinary even though we did sell out of the last issue. It is easy for magazine distributors to be bullish about a title for it’s not their money, time or space at risk. I would have like a request for permission to increase supply beyond a reasonable 100% in the case of a sell out. Had I been asked, for it is my money after all, I would have agreed to a 100% kick and an agreement to more if sales warrant during the on-sale. While distributors don’t want excess stock in their warehouses in the event of a need, the current approach of making us the warehouse (and bank) is unreasonable as the 600% increase in supply of Gameinformer shows.
Maybe I am missing something here. Maybe there is a reason for the increase. I am sure that the publisher will say it is because they are pushing the title. That’s fine – but a 600% increase? I am carrying the risk for them along wit, maybe, thousands of other newsagents.
I had the same problem with a magazine 2 months ago , i sent the publisher an email stating how i was going to throw 80% of there stock in the bin because at $19.00 a magazine it was going to cost me to hold on to them for the full on sale time . I did not even get a reply to the email so it really makes me wonder when publishers say they are not profiting out of over supply
i dont think it is the publishers that do well out of this situation. they have the costs of producing 600% more magazines, of course they may only sell 200% more of issue 2 than issue 1, so then they have alot of money in production wasted. perhaps by issue 3 or 4 they will make the right amount.
i have said this before, i think it is the distributors who take a grab at ours and the publishers capital perhaps to play the short term money market or something?
i spend approximatly 3 hours per week changing standing orders with the 3 distribution companies.
we consistantly sell 5-6 people mag each week, and have a standing order to 6, but every few weeks we will recieve 25+. why?
i wonder why we have our pos systems set up to send sales reports back to the distributors each night?
peter
Peter, The publisher sets the print run.
Mark – are your stores being merchandised? Mine is and i received an increase plus POS for displays,multiple facings etc. As a gamer I know Halo Reach is one of the largest game releases of the year. Ive had a good response to both issue 1 & issue 2 so far at $4.95 and a monthly. All the other game titles from aust are $10 or greater
Chris, we are mercahndised. The title demanded multiple facings because of the volume. My issue is with the 600% increase without permission and on the back of our sales performance in this segment.
Issue 1 we got 7 copies, sold 1. Issue 2 we get 24 copies.
The magazine supply system at its brilliant best!
i stand corrected.
why then would the publisher make (in your case) 600% more?
peter
Doesn`t the publisher rely on selling ad space in their mags? If they can secure an advertiser because they print and distribute x amount of mags does it really matter wether said mag sells or not?????
So maybe in situations like this a phone call to one of the big advertisers in the magazine telling them that there advertising dollars are going in the bin would be a better option.
Shaun, I often ring
the publisher of a mag if I feel I am being unjustly treated (too many or not enough) of their product.
They like the feedback and it allows them to take
some responsibility for the over/under
supply and rap the
offending distributors over the knuckles with a little more clout than ours
I just checked my supply of game informer and I got 3 for returns of 3 of issue no 1 and then it dropped to 2 this week. I must admit that I have found Network product has improved exponentially since I went onto xchangeitlink and they get my returns daily. Hope it continues because it has been a particular whinge of mine for many years that we are still returning approx. 53% of our mags and outlaying our cashflow like someone said “probably for the shortterm cash market” with threats of non supply if we do not
comply.
Allan W,
Advertisers look at circulation figures, not the number of printed copies.
The only people who continue to make money out of oversupply are the distributors. They make money when it goes out and money when it comes back – on a per copy basis.