Some comments on my posts about the ParcelPoint opportunity for newsagents reflect a misconception by some of what can unify newsagents.
The most association-driven unification all newsagents can hope for is support for policy objectives pursued by the ANF on behalf of newsagents. This is the key objective of any good industry association. I know the ANF works hard on policy matters.
Associations don’t have structured, discipline-based, commercial relationships with newsagents. They don’t have the levers necessary for driving discipline. Discipline is the key to unity of any grouping. This is a key reason associations cannot drive commercial unity.
The commercial unity train left the station with few newsagents on board many years ago. It will not return.
If you disagree, visit 100, 50 or even 10 newsagency businesses and compare them. Tote up common product, price and service offerings. You will not see businesses genuinely unified by range, service and price. I know because this is what I see.
It’s not a bad thing for newsagents as there are other forms of commercial unity that are helping newsagents leverage discipline for a collective advantage.
We have five newsagency marketing / management groups, each with the ability to rally unity behind their respective brands and what they stand for. Not all have discipline commitments but some do and they use it.
There is unity around brands with key newsagency channel brand supporters driving consistency around range, merchandising and price where possible among newsagents. Hallmark and John Sands do this from a card perspective. There are plenty of gift suppliers doing this.
Tattersalls drives unity through its various operations ensuring a consistent merchandising, service and price offer. Lotterywest and SA Lotteries do this in their respective states.
The computer companies can drive unity around a consistency of management practices and services offered. This is, in part, what ParcelPoint is about – my Tower Systems company leveraging its footprint or around 1,800 locations. I think you will see even more of this from the IT companies.
Commercial unity is more valuable for newsagents because of the levers of discipline at the heart of commercial operations.
While I understand the frustration of some that unity is attainable under the newsagency shingle, this is a dead opportunity because newsagents made it so many years ago.
I’d urge newsagents to look at their businesses and the various commercial opportunities for unifying with others in their supplier related communities. These opportunities are real today. Unity around a shingle is not.
With more publishers getting on the One Direction bandwagon identified early by Pacific Magazines, we have squeezed some space from what was to be our Mother’s Display for the three titles we currently have available.
