Month: February 2012

We have increased the amount of space we allocate to motor bike and related magazine titles. this is allowing us to better display the titles we have and create room for the new titles on the way for this section. It’s growing in popularity for us and this is set to continue with the imminent arrival of another five or six titles we are not carrying today.

On the titles in the photo, we are two months into a trial with EMG and their packs and, yes, they are selling. they are accounting for part of the growth here.

It is important to think about the magazine titles you place next to each other from the perspective of those who purchase the titles.  For example, Super Food Ideas and Feast appeal to quite different shoppers. One is a supermarket type food magazine aimed at budget family cooking while the other is a title for lovers of quality food and the food journey.  I don’t think that they sit well next to each other.  By that I mean that there are other titles would work better next to each than having these two titles together.

Adjacencies are all about driving the additional purchase. This is why we try and place titles next to each other which are likely to appeal to the same shopper.

We are promoting the latest issue of Shop Til you Drop and Shop Til You Drop 4 Kids with this display facing shoppers as they head to the counter.

We have positioned the magazines next to plush which will attract kids and their parents.  Yeah, we thought it was smart placement. The titles are certainly attracting good browser attention from here.

The question we always ask ourselves before creating any display is what’s the best location for driving sales of this product? This is vital as the answer is sometimes not the highest profile display in store.

Remember, displays are about driving your sales and not so much about promoting a brand for recollection outside your newsagency.

Watches have moved from being functional to being fashion items. Indeed, both guys and girls often are found to own multiple watches for different purposes and occasions. The growth in interest in watches can be evidenced by the increase in watch advertising in magazines and on billboards.  I was pleased, therefore, to see the relaunch issue of International Watch magazine arrive last week.  We have this title in a good location with the whole front cover on show.  I expect that we will have no trouble selling the two copies we were allocated.

We are promoting the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine with this in-location display.  This is in addition to the counter display which I mentioned over a week ago. As the second most popular magazine in Australia this bonus support just about always results in sales growth for us.

The in-location display for Better Homes and Gardens is the only one on this side of the aisle – this helps draw attention.

With the TV show back on the air and continuing its strong rating showing this is an ideal magazine for newsagents to regularly and boldly promote.

The Australian Financial Review reports today that Nine Entertainment Co. has engaged Macquarie Group to explore the potential sale of ACP Magazines. The report goes on to note that senior executives from Seven West, owner of Pacific Magazines, have met with Macquarie for “preliminary” discussions. I’m sure newsagents will want to read the lengthy report in the AFR.  Network Services magazine distribution business sits under the ACP structure as I understand it.

While I can see benefits for a merged entity, I expect that the ACCC would have some concerns about the move based on past decisions. That said, in any change there exists opportunities.

I have no doubt that 2012 will be a year of consolidation across a range of suppliers who trade with newsagents. We have seen one move already in the software space. I am sure there are be more changes on the way.

We have been promoting the latest issue of Marie Claire magazine on a column which is seen by shoppers as they head to the counter from the greeting card aisle.

Given the surge in card sales this Valentine’s week and given the types of shoppers it attracts we figured this was ideal placement for driving incremental business for Marie Claire and promoting the free $50 Mimco voucher which comes with the magazine.

We also have Marie Claire in ideal placement in our women’s magazine aisle, toward the entrance and in a half waterfall display.

Dumplings are very popular at the moment, especially here in Melbourne. We have some highly regarded (and hard to get into) dumpling restaurants and other places which have added dumplings to their menu to tap into the craze. I was therefore thrilled to see the cover of the latest issue of Feast magazine.

The dumpling taps beautifully, and deliciously, into the interest in dumplings.  The cover story makes this issue of the magazine relevant to today’s food trends. I like that.

We are giving the magazine star treatment with ideal placement in our food section as well as time next to the newspapers to drive impulse purchases.

There is no doubt that dumplings are a food of the moment.  This latest issue of Feast gives newsagents an opportunity to tap into this interest. I’d encourage every newsagent reading this to ensure that the latest issue of Feast is in a high traffic and fully visible location. You should sell more copies as a result.

We are promoting the latest issue of Dolly magazine, which comes with a free novel, with this in-location placement. It’s a feature in our women’s / girl’s magazine aisle. We’re set to sell to based on current sales.

While the display is very simple and not the billboard display some publishers prefer, it will work a treat and drive the sales outcome we all want.

regulars here would know that I am a fan of these in-location displays. That’s because they work – especially when you have a genuine value proposition like this offer from ACP magazines for the latest issue of Dolly magazine.

The display will run for a few days more.

Sales of Take 5 and That’s Life dropped this audit by 7.10% and 6.22% respectively.  This is not ideal for newsagents given that these titles anchor our Wednesday traffic and magazine sales. We need to be actively engaged with publishers in helping to arrest the situation as the mid week traffic bump is vital not only to the sales of these titles but sales more generally in our newsagencies.

Of the titles themselves, I’d like to see them become more relevant to the target shopper. While I am no publisher I think this is done by way of content rather than giveaways and promotions.

Check out the report of Mumbrella for more on the performance of Take 5 and That’s Life and other weeklies. It’s vital reading for any newsagent who considers themselves to be a magazine specialist.

The sales of Zoo dropped 26.94% in the latest circulation audit to December 2011 while sales for People dropped 25.65% and Picture 23.76%. With the titillation offered by these titles so readily available online and through handheld devices, why pay? That’s what I am wondering at least. We we will continue to carry the titles, they are actually loss making when you look at the cost of retail real-estate and the labour required to manage them.

With a circulation of just 29,834, People must be the title under the most pressure.

While I am no publisher, it seems to me that the only upside for these titles is for them to offer something not available for free online. I’m not sure what that is but this must be the challenge for the titles to regain relevance.  Browser time is always an indicator of title success.  It was just a few years ago that our soft porn section would be busy on the weekend. This is no more. I suspect that the guys who stopped off for half an hour or so instead go find a quiet place for some time on their smart phone.

Frankie magazine continues its sales growth run with an increase of 13.87% in the latest audit results to December 2011.  As I have noted here several times, Frankie is enjoying tremendous sales success. This is a title newsagents could drive further.  It’s easy: give Frankie prime positioning, if you sell out order more, use it to attract younger girls … they will purchase other items.  Frankie offers newsagents a traditional win win – all it takes is a bit of work.

If we are the magazine specialists we see ourselves as we should act like it and be driving the sales growth of these successful titles like Frankie.  The thing is that we are not as much as the forefront of growth as we should be and that is a problem for the future of the newsagency channel.

Caravan & Motorhomes magazines from EMG increased sales in the latest audit to December 2011 by 15.91% … no thanks to newsagents.  yes, many of us early returned this title despite the publisher delivering to us bonus commission. The publisher sought to engage with us on valuable commercial terms and we flipped them the bird and disrespected the title.

Supermarkets grew sales of Caravan & Motorhomes more than newsagents.  I discussed this with the publisher yesterday and while they are frustrated at the early return behaviour of some newsagents, they will continue to support the channel.

Check out how you have been treating Caravan & Motorhomes.  Is it in prime position with your caravan titles? Have you been early returning?  The audit results tell you that you can achieve growth. The question if this us a sure thing, why not embrace it?