Customers yesterday were frustrated that they could not purchase from us the coffee guide promoted on the front page of The Age newspaper. Here in Melbourne we love our coffee and we have (IMHO) the best coffee outlets in Australia so it is natural that the offer of The Good Cafe Guide 2011 for $5 would be popular.
Customers thought they could buy the newspaper and the Guide from us in one transaction. The frustration came when told that they have to go to one of the limited number of outlets to redeem the coupon for a copy of the Guide at $5. Indeed, juts over 300 newsagents stocked the Guide. As a retail only newsagent we were not even offered. Dumb.
If what I heard yesterday is anything to go off, goodwill generated by the Guide was compromised by clunky distribution.
Frustrating no doubt, but not the only silly marketing decisions by Newspapers this week. In Sydney for the last four weeks, there has been a “Spend $5 and have a free SMH shoved in your bag” promotion running in conjunction with the Franklins Supermarket chain. Today is the last day.
But in a stunning piece of co-ordination, today is also the first day of an exact same promotion for the Daily Telegraph!! So customers can spend $5.00 and get both papers for free, just 20 metres from the Newsagent.
Don’t be blaming the publisher. Distributors were given the option of selling to general retailers at their discretion.
Actually, it’s been a good seller over our own counter. Frankly to speak our sub retailers didn’t do so well with it so far.
We will continue to display it until the recall date and supply it to any sub retailers who request it.