Gotch earlier this week released cookbooks to newsagents which, in my view, could be early returned. These titles have no brand connection for us and are overpriced compared to similar titles in our newsagencies. The titles, Healthy Switch and Soups, Sauces & Marinades add nothing to our magazine shelves. We have a full suite of food titles, even in these niches, so why add more stock to us? Gotch would know that we are full yet they send the stock anyway.
So, for me, these two titles are a good example of the few titles which could be legitimately early returned right away.
The better approach would be to ask if we want the titles.
When it comes to niche food and other titles I look for an existing masthead connection for relevance or for some other evidence of support for the newsagency channel through collateral, advertising or some other activity to drive traffic. These very generic titles from Gotch have none of that.
What frustrates me more is that I can go to the cheap book outpost near my newsagency and see almost identical titles for under $5.00.
I appreciate that some people will read this as a confusing message about early returning. It’s not for the reasons I explained above.
I understand what you are saying, Mark, and I agree. But if this product was from an independent/smaller publisher trying to break into the market and they contacted you, would you change your mind?
Wendy it’s a fair question. It all depends on what is in it for newsagents. Helping a new title break in is expensive for us cash-flow wise. I’d certainly listen to anything a publisher has to say.