We have achieved a 75% sell through for the launch issue of smith journal at one of my newsagencies. Nine copies sold out of twelve copies supplied … and the title have only been out three weeks.
Sales of smith journal are tracking well for us, in line with stablemate magazine frankie.
Why newsagents would have early returned this new title, especially prior to billing cutoff for this month is beyond me. Dumb. I have banked just over $26 in gross margin in three weeks, easily paying for the space and labour.
Last night at one of my newsXpress Knox City newsagency I got to experience first hand how easy smith journal is to sell. A couple in their late twenties were browsing. She asked some questions about frankie while he was looking at music magazines. As they were leaving I asked if they had seen smith journal, the magazine for guys from the publisher of frankie. After browsing smith journal for a couple of minutes the guy purchased it. Another $11.95 sale by engaging with a customer on the shop floor.
I don’t have much time for newsagents who have all manner of excuses for not doing this themselves. As retailers we owe it to ourselves and our suppliers to be knowledgeable about what we sell and to work our shop floor at every possible opportunity.
Only received two but have sold both.
One question I would have for Alf if he’s lurking is, are they as a publisher, going to follow some other publishers leads and up the commission on his stable of magazines ?
Morning Mark.
Thanks for publishing another success sale in your store.
Due to the number of sell outs in some stores within the first two weeks, we decided to reprint additional copies of Smith. If you wish to obtain additional stock, GGA have limited floor stock available. GGA title code: 14612.
We have also been able to replenish some stores, and fulfil requests that have come in over the past week.
Well Said Mark; we have sold 6 of eight copies supplied!
Mark
I’ve had the same success as you.
I talk about this with Frankie buyers and have found it an easy sell.
Alf – would have been much easier if POS materials had been provided for both publications.
Can’t agree more Mark. We believe in giving all Australian publishers a go with their titles in store. Many niche titles are put on display over the weekends when customers have more time to browse, and we have captured many new sales this way.
Hiya Miles.
Hmm. That’s strange. We provided at least one A2 poster to every newsagent that was supplied Smith. We also have POS available on our website for newsagents. Would you mind getting in contact with me directly?
Did other newsagents not receive POS?
You’re welcome Alf. It’s a terrific magazine and an excellent opportunity for us to cement our position as magazine specialists.
Excellent sell through here – 100%
i.e. ZERO supplied & ZERO sold.
This is despite selling out of Frankie for the last few issues.
I have tried to order Smith Journal via the Gotch website but it is nowhere to be found as far as I can see.
I am convinced G&G must employ someone in allocations who has two jobs –
1. to scout out every crap title they can which they then over-supply in obscene amounts and
2. to identify titles at a store level which have a high sell-through rate and then ensure that companion titles with the same potential are not supplied to those stores!
Same sell through rate here Jim 0 from 0. Maybe when the novelty wears off and sales drop in the “GOOD” newsagents we will get some.
Jim
I thought that person at G&G was full-time dealing with me
Miles,
I think he also splits a weekend shift at HWT & Fairfax cutting supply to tourist areas in the middle of the holidays because “the Grand Final modifies customer behaviour”.
Just because Collingwood supporters are probably challenged in the reading area doesn’t mean we all are does it?
With respect Jim and Luke, you;re regulars here and would know that this title is from Morrison Media, the publishers of frankie. You could have contacted Gotch or Morrison and had stock within a couple of days. I know of newsagents who did that.
Morrison has gone to considerable lengths to make themselves mroe accessible.
With respect Mark, I did just that and have had no response. What else can I do?
I appreciate Morrison’s efforts – my post is not a shot at them.
Was the allocation of the mag done by them or Gotch – either way, it doesn’t seem to correlate with Frankie sales.
If anyone is having trouble obtaining stock for any Morrison Media publications/products, feel free to get in contact with us directly so we can help. (Jim, Luke, Miles)
So Mark did ALL newsagents that received stock of issue 1 have to chase up stock or (opt in) or was it only sent to certain newsagents?
We have contacted GG as these are the distributors and also the people that bill me for the titles I get not the individual publishers and they say that they are out of stock. We will contact Alf and arrange stock going forward but it is my point that why do we need to do the leg work when GG has our sales data for frankie and is also the people who also bill us after 20 days eom.
Luke, Morrison Media did the allocation with Gotch and based on assessment of volume of frankie sold. They erred on the conservative side because of newsagent oversupply concerns.
If you talk with Alf he will take you through their allocations process. It may uncover a missed opportunity for them.
Being a new title and so unique I can understand that there are learnings on all sides about this. you have a publisher keen to engage.
Luke,
Again, happy to help in any way we can.
You have done the right thing in contacting the distributor. We actually did a reprint to help cater to this. It’s amazing that they have already sold out of additional stock.
If GGA have already run out of additional,reprinted stock, Morrison Media will consider looking at other alternatives.
Looking forward to hearing from you.