Newsagents reading the inside back cover of Speedway Racing News this morning where shocked to see the publisher actively promoting against the newsagency channel. Click on the image for a larger version of the page. Subscribe & Save is the headline. It then pitches: Have your copy home delivered and received SRN 3 days earlier than you can find it in a newsagent!
Way to go publisher of Speedway Racing News – a very respectful move against the retail channel which gives you space every week.
I have heard from many newsagents already that they are taking the title off and early returning this with a request to no longer receive stock. If enough newsagents took action it could seriously hurt this small title.
The publisher needs to address the issue immediately and start working with newsagents on growing newsagency sales rather than hurting them.
That used to be my favourite magazine, until David Tapp took control of it.
Oval express is a better magazine for customers. Who wants to read about bikes when most speedway competitors/fans are into cars?
oh well just another tittle to early return
early return and bye bye…
I hadn’t noticed… thanks for letting us know about it. Have taken my copies off the shelf and into the early return box.
Off the shelf and email sent to publisher
Gone forever
Mine will be gone tomorrow, the extra space will be handy anyway given the explosion of titles to the already crammed motoring section.
Cheers
Al
thanks for letting us know mine are also off the shelf these publishers have no respect
Gone from Jindabyne & good riddance!
So are mine
Mine are gone now. Even though I was the only one to read the pictures.
What’s wrong with bikes????
😀
Seriously tho, do we do this with big titles for similar reasons?
Y & G
With the big titles we remove the enclosed flyer and post it back to them blank!
All my SRN returned today – don’t want to see it again with this Editor
Anon
Y & G Start small then work our way up to the big tittles .
Took the back cover off ,who ever paid for the add on the last page will not be happy
Jim,.
I understand your sentiment and agree the whole issue is insensitive to newsagents and their channel however you may well be liable for damaging a property (the magazine)with the view to gain benefit.
In other words you are leaving yourself open for litigation. Be carefeful I am only trying to help not critisize.
Just read the blog re : Speedway racing news, have removed it from the shelf and cancelled it with G and G
Graeme Thanks but in the end we took all but 5 off as we sell 3 or 4 each month .I do have to look after those who shop with us.
Jim, there are other Speedway titles your customers would like too : Oval Express (High Quality), Inside Speedway (Getting better all the time) and Totally Speedway (Newest one, finding it’s feet)
All three are better in my opinion, because they’re written more for the fans and not for David Tapp’s ego and opinions.
Hey Shelley,
Do you have the publishers email address? I’ve already early returned ours but would also like to send a message to the publisher as I’m sure others would.
Mark Fa
d_tapp@ozemail.com.au. David Tapp is the MD of the publishing company.
And:
david@powerproductions.net.au
Simple; Title being returned and cancelled. Some bright spark at Fisherman & Boatowner tried the same trick a few years back and the backlash was huge. Once again newsagents need to make the point; return the title and cancel it for 6 months. The MD needs to put an apology in the next edition and promote the chanel that has been his source of income for many a year.
I have been contacted by several publishers about this, supportive of newsagents but concerned if our anger relates to all subscriptions.
From my own perspective I said I understand they need to balance revenue between retail and subscription sales. The key is that they do not publicly criticise or directly attack newsagents.
What about Express Media ,open the bags and take a look at their offers, plus a free gift.Why are we not up in arms about this
DR i have not taken any notice , but do they slam the newsagency industry , the ones that got there mag started in the first place . Not sure maybe they do as well but i have not had a read of there sub offers
Why are helping to white ant our own sales
Murdering or attcking people people without announcement or publicity -does it make the act any worse or better?
I wonder just what we are standing for or against here?
Some interesting comments from Speedway fans here:
http://australianspeedway.com/31830-off-tapp-2/
So, what do we tell The Monthly?
Anyone else notice while topping the last issue, first page in, all red, “Subscribe and Save… almost 40% on the cover price while enjoying the convenience of free delivery…”
Y&G, While not overjoyed about it, I accept that publishers need to chase subscription business in adddition to retail sales. My only concern would be if they used product on our shelves to put us down as they did in Speedway Racing News.
You guys are kidding are’nt you. Every single magazine on your shelves, advertize their subscriptions & ALL tell you that the benefit is that you save & you get it earlier. Your getting a bit too precious.
Hey Cam it is not about them doing it, it is about how they do it. To actively promote a negative about a newsagency is not going to win them any fans from the channel.
Cheers
Al
Earlier, Cam?
Ha!
One subscriber to a Rugby League mag got it AFTER the weekend. We have it here for our customers 3 days before the weekend. When the customer complained about it to the publisher their response was “it happens & there is not much we can do about it”.
He cancelled the sub & now gets it from his newsagent.
There must be a dozen newsagents who have forgotten about their customers. ie the people that support them and buy SRN from their shop.