I feel for the newsagent who had their supply of Franchising magazine bumped from one copy an issue to eleven copies of the latest issue – on the back of zero sales for each of the last eight issues. Click on the image to see for yourself.
I’m sure that this bump from one copy to eleven copies is a mistake by Network Services. The challenge is the cost to the newsagent. The time it will take to resolve, the frustration and, if it was a full copy return, the freight cost. If it’s a topped return then pity the publisher having their product topped and trashed because of a supply mistake.
With Networking having all the data it needs mistakes like this should not happen. Indeed, this newssgent should not be down to get any stock of this title given its long-term zero sales in this business.
tops all ripped off and sent back , not over supply but first time they have sent them and being the end of the month 1 or 2 and I would have kept them but I didn’t need 6
Thank you for the laugh to start the day.
Network sent me 3 NZ House & Garden yesterday, IPS was sending me 24.
Tried to order more stock online but as usual no stock!
Surely they would have my sales history from publisher, we have been stocking this magazine for a couple of years now.
Jenny,
I am the opposite. Received 11 copies from Network when I only got 2 from IPS, and only ever occasionally sold 1 of them. Topped and returned
NOOOO DM I could sell these! So frustrating that they cant get it right.
Now there’s a prime example of how the silly antics of the distributors throw the whole game outa whack.
Do any publishers read this ?
What do they think when they see examples like that ?
Can they do anything about it ?
Do they have any clout with distributors ?
Would it be possible to contact the publisher of that mag to get their response ?
Has NZ House and Garden changed distributors? Are you talking about the April issue? I usually get 7 from IPS but have not had the April issue from anyone.
I cannot find NZh&G on the Network website – do you have a code number jenny?
h, the March issue is the latest, came out on Thursday. To order (though none available of current issue) NZ House & Garden (03093).
They have also taken NZ Life and Leisure from IPS and that too is out of stock.
Mark, can you tell me whether you receive more responses to a negative post about supplier issues or to positive posts about great things happening in the industry?
Thanks jenny.
Chris I have not tabulated responses but my feeling is that there are more responses to negative issues than positive stories. I feel that responses to topics about structural change are even lower. Newsagents engage in these the least.
One goal of this blog is to encourage newsagents to think about the future of their businesses, to consider decisions they can make that will improve their own business prospects.
Thanks Mark. i hope it means that newsagents are very vocal about negative issues but very physically active in their shop about positive issues.
Eg. I started stocking Jasnor products last week and they are a real hit.
Chris, while I do think they are vocal, this does not translate in commensurate action.
Talking about Spam I am over both
Bromleigh House and
Beachcomber from GG
I think all magazine and newspaper media should be online available via tablet or phone.
AND I think customers should be able to buy media topup from newsagents the same way they buy phone top up.
None of this annual or monthly obligation / prepayment.
From an end user perspective I would want to be able to open MEDIA, select either newspaper or magazine then from a drop down of categories (or a search button) locate the title I want and select BUY. Download Open and read.
Would newsagents be out of the loop this way because customers would buy direct?
No. People can buy phone top up online, we still sell lots of top up. People can buy lotto online, we still sell lots of lotto.
Magazine management is labour intensive, but consistent oversupply creates negativity. For 9 months of the year we average 60% returns and the other 3 months are up to 85%.
This in spite of the micromanagement of titles on the distributors website.
(The early return feature on our Tower POS is a great tool for managing oversupply.)
I even contacted the distributors and requested a review of our allocations.
They would oblige if I could supply a full list of all titles and the desired level for each. Are you kidding me?
I think there are ways for newsagents to continue and grow, but I truly don’t see a place for indifferent distributors of archaic products.