I was disappointed to see this display for Symply Too Good cookbooks in the pharmacy right next to one of my newsagencies.
While Annette Sym has been a supporter of newsagencies and our channel has been a supporter of her products, this apparent move to pharmacies will challenge the relationship. The price point is odd – $15.00 as advertised makes these more expensive than in newsagencies.
If i see it in the pharmacy next to me then it will be SIMPLY off my shelves . It is one thing to have to deal with woolies and coles and the post office with mags but now pharmacys as well
Not sure if I’ll send it back or just point out that it’s cheaper through us.
I’ve noticed quite a few product clashes between Newsagencys and Pharmacys now as the Pharmacys try and fight declining margins on their core drug lines.
I appreciate Annette Sym sent me this note today explaining the situation:
Hi Mark,
I hope life is treating you well. I have noticed a comment you made about the chemist at Knox City promoting my cookbooks and wanted to respond to you straight away. As you know I distribute my cookbooks to newsagencies only and it has been an honour to do this for 15 years. It has been a win, win for both sides and I treasure my relationship with newsagents.
As you would also be know that Diabetes Australia endorse my cookbooks which is a very important endorsement and has meant more sales as so many people now are type 2 diabetics. I do supply to Diabetes Australia and have done from the beginning as part of our deal with the endorsement. I am sorry that their store is so close you one your NewsXpress stores, that is unfortunate but I am not sure if I can ask them to not supply to that store. I will ask them about it as the chemist you are concerned about doesn’t actually get their supply from me but the Diabetes Association. I will see if I can get them off the list of suppliers. So leave it with me as I can understand that this is not ideal with two stores being so close to each other at the same shopping centre.
I hope to be coming to Victoria for a book 7 tour and will be looking at the top sellers in this state and I am sure Knox City will be one of them, as they are such a fabulous supporter of my books. Ballarat NewsXpress is getting a visit as they won the best display competition for Australia so I am super excited to come down and cook up a storm in their fabulous store.
I will let you know how I go with the chemist.
Happy cooking
Annette
Win Win or you scratch my back I will scratch yours.
Sent them all back in this week’s returns because I don’t want to compete with the chemist.
If we all did this Annette might reconsider
her future distribution.
We should not accept this sort of behaviour and we are in a position to change it.
I disagree June.
Annette has supported newsagencies vehemently over the years and continues to do so. She almost exclusively promotes newsagents for her products and is not actively seeking distribution into pharmacies.
It’s a secondary distribution, I assume on a small scale, by a non-profit org.
The retailer is pricing themselves above newsagents and I suspect it won’t be a permanent range, or at the very least won’t occupy prime floor space for an extended amount of time.
What is important is that Annette ensures that Diabetes Australia does not attempt to undertake significant wholesale distribution of her product.
We complain about suppliers unreasonably and unconscionably bullying us. It would be hypocritical for newsagents to do the same to a small publisher that has invested significantly in the channel and treated newsagents as respected business partners for some time.
The issue has been raised and it’s important that we keep on top of it; but we need to act calmly and rationally. Hastily returning the product should not be the first step in negotiation or dispute resolution.