We are one copy away from selling out of the latest issue of Delicious magazine, not even a week into the on-sale. We did a couple of things differently with this issue: we placed a full cover display at the top of the usual waterfall display and we moved to waterfall deeper into the aisle – so it would not be missed. While the free tea towel gift with the magazine may have helped, I suspect that the tactical placement also played a role. Regardless, a sell out is a sell out and I’ll bank that.
Sometimes, I think that publishers obsess too much about pretty displays and not enough about well thought out tactical placement of magazines in newsagencies. The sales growth I am seeing today is more likely due to tactical engagement on the shop floor.