Newsagents are receiving Wellbeing Beauty this morning, many for the third time.
This $19.95 title failed to achieve a reasonable sell through (40% or more) when first distributed in August last year. Newsagents were required to return unsold stock. The exact same issue was distributed again in March this year and again it failed to achieve reasonable sales. And, yes, we were requested to return unsold stock.
This morning, many newsagents discover that Universal Magazines has convinced Network Services to send the title out for a third time! While the publisher will think they are helping newsagents by offering the title with delayed billing, newsagents know better.
But wait, there could be more. Universal has requested a full copy return. They may have plans for a fourth go around. Weighing half a kilo, the freight costs for newsagents in full copy returns is significant.
What a rip off of newsagents this title has been. Shame on NDD and Network Services for their participation in ripping off newsagents. Of course, magazine distributors want to keep their trucks full, that is a key plank of their business model. I bet they carry no risk with this title. No, the risk is left with newsagents.
The behaviour of Network in distributing this title for a third time is proof that newsagents are right to be sceptical every time a Network employee says they have the interests of newsagents at heart. If they did, this title would not have been delivered by them to newsagents today.
This is an excellent example of a sick magazine distribution model which preys on the weak.
Think about this for a moment … how much time and money have we invested in this title already putting it on our shelves, taking it off, returning it and going through all that again?
And the folks at Universal Magazines say that I pick on them. No, they abuse newsagents. What they are doing with this title is a perfect example.
I would not be surprised if newsagents sent back the cover only of Wellbeing Beauty this time around.
Shame on Network Services for allowing newsagents to be abused in this way. Shame on Universal Magazines for wasting newsagent time and money on what is clearly a dud title.
My view is that what Universal and Network are doing with Wellbeing Beauty is unconscionable. However, the toothless ACCC will most likely take a different view.
In 2007 I called for a magazine czar. The associations did nothing. Newsagents did nothing. Unless we take control of our channel this type of behaviour will continue and we will suffer economically. Serves us right. We need to stop Universal and Network and others from this behaviour.
Footnote: I did not receive Wellbeing Beauty in my stores. I suspect this is because Universal did not want me writing about their appalling treatment of newsagents.