It’s usually guys who sit on the floor of the newsagency to read magazines or crouch in aisles to read magazines.
On the weekend I noticed a lady crouched down looking through our cross-stitch magazine titles. It made me smile.
I like seeing customers engage with magazines like this. I’m happy for them to read. I’m happy for them to sit and read. If I had more roomI’d have a reading couch or stools.
Most readers purchase a magazine or two. Those who don’t purchase don’t harm the business. I’m happy for them to be in the store.
Compared to supermarkets, convenience and petrol outlets, newsagencies offer the best magazine browsing experience. It’s a point of difference more of us should embrace.
I am surprised you say you are happy for your customers to read magazines in your store. Doesn’t that lead to loss of sales if they read there and then don’t end up buying or they crease the magazines while reading?
Browsing and reading lead to buying. Welcome it!
We are happy for customers to browse as well. It is a positive experience and leads to customer retention. A high percentage who browse end up buying on the same occasion and always come back for more!
I love seeing new customers browsing but there are a couple of male customers who spend hours each week reading magazines in detail and very, very rarely making a purchase. To top it of one in particular has been complaining about having to buy a newspaper to get the DVD with it. Very annoying.
I have noticed in some Newsagents they have a NO reading Magazines policy. One even pointed you to go to the local Library. Lol. Personally I am with you all, I buy magazines every week. I like to flick through a Magazine first to see if anything of interest before I consider buying. And I always handle with care.
not everyone is like you Mark, I’m sure everyone has instances of “readers” who come in often to read an entire magazine page to page and never purchase.
Welcome them Gary.
Part of having a retail business is that you are opening your doors to all types of people. Try not to stress about little grievances people have. It is not worth it.
Serenity now!!!
We seem to be the only business that frowns on customers looking at a product before they purchase, yes you are always going to get some that abuse the privlege but most will buy if it is the mag they want,It is hard enough to get people instore so lets not give them another reason not to shop with us
We draw the line at the few that we have had that attempt to take photos of articles or pictures with their phones. We even had a guy take a photo of a ‘for sale’ item details in a paper one day just so that he didn’t have to buy the paper
we invite customers to browse, but do not support them standing or taking up a seat in the aisles and reading the magazine. invariably these people have no intention of purchasing..in particular when the same person does it time and time again..then casually walks out the shop..we have to pay freight to get our magazines to our shop, so i am not a fan of providing a library for these people…at my expense…
Totally agree David. One occasion an arrogant bossy woman demanded that we photocopy a recipe from one of our cooking books. I agreed to do it at the cost of the cooking book.
Serenity Now!
I just hate it when they lick their fingers to turn the pages!
Just had a customer bring 2 x $5 cookbooks (special offer hardback ones)
to the counter and when I told her they
were a special in adjunct to an AWW title she baulked and said she would only have one (she purchased the aww cookbook)
I had the marketing underneath the cookbooks within full view but the lady said she had purchased 2 yesterday from another agency and liked them so much (who wouldn’t for $5) that she wanted 2 more.
Even after explaining nicely, the reason they were only $5 I felt that the customer was unhappy at having to purchase something she didn’t want to get something she did want.
I’m sure Bauer don’t know the repercussions of some of their specials but sometimes we as retailers have a Phyrric victory where the cost of doing business is too high (e.g. that lady didn’t
leave my store in a happy state of mind)
Should I have just let her have the two cookbooks (which obviously other newsagents have done) or do I point out that they are a special designed to sell more AWW cookbooks.
I know the right answer but I’m interested in my fellow newsagents’ answers.
June,
I just love the fact you know what a Pyrrhic victory is!
June, we only received 2 copies of the hardcover $5 books – no other cookbooks or marketing material. They’ve sat in pride of place and no one has even picked them up to have a look. Our customers think all recipes are on the internet and even at $5 they’re too dear.
June, we only received 2 copies of the hardcover $5 books – no other cookbooks or marketing material. They’ve sat in pride of place and no one has even picked them up to have a look. Our customers think all recipes are on the internet and even at $5 they’re too dear.
Brett, even though I spelt it wrongly and I
am so proud (falsely obviously) of my spelling abilities.