Newsagents should check their supply of gameinformer magazine. Yesterday, we received 10 copies. The last issue we received 4 and returned 4. The issue before that we received 8 and returned 5 and the one before that we received 8 and returned 6. I can see no justification in our sales numbers for Network services to increase our supply by 100%, I doubt that even an amazing promotion would lift our sales by 100%.
Publishers reading this blog need to understand that every additional copy sent to newsagents which does not sell has a cash flow cost to our business. Retail real estate and labour account for between 21% and 24% of revenue in shopping centre newsagencies.
Come the 20th of the month Network will be chasing payment yet when if we try and use the regular processes they have established for newsagent communication they will not be as attentive.
With magazine sales down significantly on last year and 2009 down even more on 2008, magazine distributors and magazine publishers have an obligation to stop sucking cash out of our businesses with poor supply decisions.
Sit in the office of the accounts office of any magazine distributor in the last week of any month and you will soon realise how serious cash flow relating to magazines has become for newsagents. They don’t care, all they want is their cash. They accept no responsibility for creating the cash flow problem.
I has data from several newsagents for April showing that they paid some distributors more than the money they took through the register for their titles. This happens because of a failing supply model. Yet the accounts people do not get it, yes, all they want is their cash.
This is a crisis no one seems prepared to address.
i have told GG and NDC on several occassions that my bills are more than my sales and there reply every time is you should manage your supplies better . so what do i do in frustration is send back S$#T loads of magazines and then i miss out on future sales but it has to be done just to make ends meet . This month will be a fun month with 5 wednesday deliverys
Anyone else also had issues with ‘infringements’ based on NDC’s poor warehouse receiving system?
Y&G
I had trouble with NDC returns supposed non returns and gave them an ear full. They have big problems with THEIR system. We have been changing to the suppliers WHIMS for years now, none of them to the newsagencts benefit. Does anyone remember the time the daily paper publishers made all newsagents meet a certain standard, ie computers and paper stands. At that time they said we had to do this prevent the supermarkets becoming direct supply, well we all know the history of that. What else can they change that they say will benefit newagents. The answer is, what ever they like and we have to wear it. This was a great industry until the power of the big boys took over.
Please read these comments carefully.
What if (and granted, a BIG if) all newsagents collectively on a particular day returned all supplies from the Magazine companies – and I do mean all supplies for that particular day from every distributor.
Would it not create a glut at the warehouse when these magazines are returned on the same day?! And what would the ramifications be if it were done for an entire week?!
I do understand that we would have been invoiced for the magazines and the lost sales for the week would be detrimental at the least, but would it serve any purpose to disrupt the distribution flow at the warehouse?
Admittedly I am somewhat ignorant of the whole distribution process, so I wonder to what end would it serve to “strike”?
Jim, I think a strong representative body would be able to solve many of these problems without us having to resort to such actions.
Pity we don’t have one.
Well well well, I just got two emails from Network that I had not returned the physical returns. I can assure you all I have emailed staight back giving them a piece of my mind. Why do they continue to blame us for their system.
Jeff C,
Also let your state association know that.
Mmm hmmmm.
We even copped a person on the phone telling us that it must only be us doing the wrong thing because nobody else had a problem, or copped infringements.
The hide of them to even call them that. Like they’re the law or something.
Photos are the go. That’s how we eventually got an apology.
i thought all of this was fixed from the QNF a few weeks ago about these rediculous infringment notices
Apparently not :-/
OFF TOPIC but is there a problem with xchangit at the moment no files for network seem to be coming through and it come up with a gatewaay down
Our pdf’s from Network stopped about 2 weeks ago. They know about it but don’t seemed concerned. Go figure!
Guys Don’t get mad get even. Use the function within retailer which enables you to view your last 4 issues at time of arrival. Then you can determine what you keep and what you early return. I have been using this for sometime now and its saves me $1k each week from the big 2. It may take an extra 5-10 mins at the time of arrival but you will save this 10 times over come returns time and evening out your cashflow.