We have seen a significant increase in the supply of thick book-size food related magazines this year. Usually priced at $19.95 they soak up working capital and take up considerable space.
We have embraced each new title, giving it time in the spotlight, like we are doing with this excellent title, Food Gardening, from Universal Magazines. We have it located with food titles at the moment. In a couple of weeks any remaining stock will feature in our gardening titles.
I think we need a joint conversation with the various publishers of these book format food magazines. They are placing what feels to be a growing burden on newsagents. It would help us if the various publishers worked better together. I appreciate that in a competitive marketplace this is a challenge. However, given the impact on our businesses such co-operation is important.
Mark Darton here from Universal Magazines publishers of Food Gardening. I would like to share that this type of magazine runs to a specific formula which is that we research the subject and in this case there is a current ground swell of interest in organic and home grown food. The content in Food Gardening is original and unique you will not find it anywhere else, it is created by experts in the area of interest.
For newsagents Food Gardening is
• Delayed billed for 3 months, no cash outlay.
• Provides $4.9875 inc GST per copy sold.
• Exclusive to Newsagents.
• Allocated at the average of 5 copies per outlet so should not be over supplied in my opinion.
• Promoted in all press releases as available at Newsagents.
I understand the issue of too many titles and would hope that newsagents make their display decision based on the ability to sell the publication and the publication attributes and terms outlined above. If there is a way you think we can improve what we are doing please feel free to communicate direct with me by email mdarton@universalmagazines.com.au or phone 0298870361.
Mark
Mark the point I was trying to make is that multiple publishers are sending these types of titles and we don’t have control.
I appreciate the research you have done to bring the title to market. In our stores we have to deal with multiple publishers doing this.
In one of my stores, I have 25 pockets holding $19.95 books. Given the cost of a pocket and their sales, they are cash-flow negative.
The one aspect of magazine distribution yet to change is the small business newsagent having fair control over what they carry.
It would appear that suppy of what are essentiall cookbooks is being undertaken on magazine trading terms.
Were these titles supplied to bookstores, publishers would have to allow significantly more margin for the retailer. These are not magazines and should not be treated as such.
Delayed billing helps cash-flow, not profitability. Many book-size magazines (aka books) simply don’t provide the necessary RIO to justify their long shelf life. They can also feel like a disjointed pitch to customers looking for magazines, in terms of price, content and format.