Both Bauer and Pacific have been using social media to promote their special issues out early with coverage of the royal baby. Their engagement was a perfect opportunity to remind shoppers to pick up the magazine at their local newsagency. I’ve not seen them do this. Why should they promote us? … because they say we are important and because we will do more to support these issues than supermarkets, petrol outlets and convenience stores. They only do extra when they are paid extra to do it.
Newsagents sell more magazines than all other retail channels combined.
We will have a full facing display into the Mall for this!
Come on get behind us by George!
Received ours at 5pm today, straight up inside shop and outside facing mall, however not a single sale in the hour or so we were still open.
Disappointed to see Coles petrol on highway tonight had theirs all up with poster display, they are open 24 hours so have an advantage over newsagents in selling almost a day earlier.
You lucky things. We won’t get ours until next Tuesday. I Loved the wrap around cover of the Courier Mail yesterday.
Hi Carole,
I must say i am have the reverse problem at the moment. As an independant publisher of Hello May magazine, and a small Australian business owner I have done nothing but promote and support local newsagents by trying to drive traffic into stores to purchase, Ive even kept australian sales of issue 2 OFF our online store in an effort to support local newsagents, who are small businesses just like me, even more.
Alas I am continually disapointed when I do random checks at various newsagents who promote and display international magazines or “the big guys” who, like you say above, give you no love what so ever, over the little guys who are trying to support you.
Some newsagents I have been into sold out of Hello May in the first week (we are a bi annual bridal magazine and technically on the stands for 6 months, although i know its more like 3) and when i ask why they have not ordered anymore in they just shrug their shoulders when its seems to me, the smart thing to do, would be to order more copies in and support a business that is supporting them.
Perhaps I should switch to online sales with free postage.
Have a file but no mags ,they do this with every special ,they send a file knowing there will be no mags
WD, NI and Who arrived this morning, so far sold 4 WD only. But the use of social media is interesting as I can see it working for Who but the readers for WD and NI in our town are usually older and they think social media is having a gasbag and reading the local paper at the bowls club.
Hello May, the alternative is that you could connect with newsagents in a more personal way – as you are doing here. Help newsagents understand the title: who buys it and why. Help us understand how it can be profitable for us. There are publishers, small publishers, doing this and benefiting.
Commenting here is a good start. Welcome!
Hello May,
What a great magazine, good to see something new in our wedding range.
We haven’t sold out (just our demographic I guess) but you mag is sitting in top two rows so it will not go unnoticed.
I gave a copy of Hello May and also Hitched to my friends daughter who stayed with us recently and has just become engaged.
She was surprised to see such different wedding magazines and loved them both.
I gave her these as I knew that they would appeal to her, and hopefully her friends will see them and realise newsagencies have a greater range of magazines than just the same old stuff that’s been around for years.
Hello, Hello May,
I love your magazine and have recommended it to all of our customers within my age group, similarly customers who purchase similar titles, we also used the posters you sent with the mag as the back drop (since it was the inspiration) for a wedding display we did in the window recently. I just wanted to let you know that there are news agents who are supporting you and appreciate you supporting us. I have one copy left at the moment but did not realise this was only a bi annual publication so will order more.
We are located in Sutherland in NSW, if you are ever in the area pop in and say hello.
Hello may , i recieved issue 2 but was never down for issue #1 . Sorry i early returned your stock #1 reason is simply no room to place it there , i cannot remember how thick or thin yours might have been but the rest are think and i can only put one or 2 in a pocket . If i am allocated #3 i will definantly give it a go mainly because you posted on here .
Hello Hello May don’t you distribute your
magazine in South Australia?
thanks Mark Fletcher 🙂 I have been popping into every single newsagent i pass that stocks it and introducing myself. I was sorry to hear most had thrown the poster out but once i got chatting to them they wished they kept it to pop up!
Jenny thank you so much for the lovely feedback and passing on our mag! We love the Hitched girls also 🙂
Jessie, I am cronulla based. Which is your newsagent? I will pop in and say hello for sure. apologies that we are bi annual not being communicated to you by our distributor.
Shaun, issue 1 was a digital issue that we did a small print run of for bridal fairs. We got such an amazing response we decided to hit the newsstands with issue two!
Next issue we are 154 + cov. We are printed on a FSC certified 100gsm uncoated stock with a 300gsm uncoated cover.
We would love for you to request some copies from G&G and please drop me a line at info@hellomay.com.au and let me know the name of your store so i can plug it across social media (we have a average weekly reach on FB of 79,000) people and a very strong instagram following.
thanks guys. look fwd to chatting more
Soph x
How are the mags selling for everyone?
NI, WD & WHO neck and neck which means WHO is the winner based on history in our store.
Bauer Media charge $880 new account application fee? and only 12.5% comm for the first 6months? any ideas how to get out of this one anyone?
Hi Sophie we are the newsagent next to subway in Sutherland if you can find a park in Sutherland with all the road works stop by and say hi.
Off topic but has anyone else tried doing returns today ? 2 hourws ago i did both GG and NDC but still no return emails ,i am wondering if there is a problem overall or just a problem at my end
Hello Hello May!
I’m a new independent as well (just over 2 years old) so hi!
I think you’l find that the newsagents are super supportive but it’s their relationship with your distributor that could be the reason they aren’t more proactive in restocking your magazine.
Take it from one who was with your distributor but who has finally seen the light and moved on:
I urge you to take a proactive approach in determining your allocations. They make money from the MOVEMENT of magazines, not the sale of them, remember that.
If they do not supply you with the draft allocations list, ASK for it.
Tell them to supply as per YOUR allocations only and see how that goes for you.
When I did that, they ended my contract as they realised that they would now have to pay me more than they could charge me for in oversupply fees. But I’ll happily tell anyone new out there what happened to me to get the truth out there and show them up for what they are… (insert lots of not nice words here)
GOOD LUCK!
Shauns, I submitted NDC returns yesterday morning and only have a shipping notice for weekly returns, nothing for supplementary, which obviously I want before EOM.
It usually comes thru a bit later but not 24 hours. Very odd!
Lisa thanks for connecting with Hello May here. More indie publishers should. Smart newsagents will engage.
Daniel,
If you are a subbie going to full commission supply then you will just have to cop the 6 months. I’ve been through this some years back and couldn’t get around it either.
Cheers
Al
Jenny click on the xchangeit icon (blue triangle) and it will tell you that Network
have had a problem for a few days but I
got mine through this morning so they must be up and running again.
Isn’t it aggravating – returns left in the back room for another week because of
a hiccup. It sure is hard to keep two weeks’ worth when you have a very small
back room.
Thanks June, will check when I am back at shop.
I thought maybe our returns must need to be authorised by staff as they still haven’t come thru.
As for space, even our stamp size office can cope now as we top everything.
so no one has had any probs with GG returns , oh well looks like the morning will be spent with Xchangit on the phone
shauns
No trouble with GG but NDC reject all supplements 12 pages worth
Just bringing in labels for Thursday and noticed copies of IMPROVE YOUR PRESENTATION, IMPROVE YOUR CV AND IMPROVE YOUR INTERVIEW TEQUNIQUES.
I believe that these are NOT ordinary mags and we should be asked whether or not we wish to stock them.
If you have a very old demographic (and owners) these books will definitely not sell
here. My people are either self funded retirees or aged pensioners.
This lack of targeting your distribution has
been an on-going source of annoyance for
35 years and STILL it goes on.
It can only be regarded as a grab for our
cashflow.
I find it quite unscrupulous and I resent it.
Just a question for eveybody….
Is delayed billing the “new” oversupply?
Al