A newsagent contacted me yesterday as asked for this post to collect comments from people about the Sydney Gift Fair that has just ended. If you attended, what do you think?
Went to all 4 – convention cntr + h/bush + life in style + rogue. All good for new Australian made greeting cards. In general suppliers much more accommodating / keen for business – most we spoke to said they were disappointed with turnout. Enough new suppliers and product to make it worth attending. Pick up new suppliers for leather bags + kids neoprene bags + chocolates + stationery + homeware + jewellery. Would be great if they were all in 1 location – but u/stand why the smaller business look elsewhere given prices charged to exhibit at the larger venues.
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Stacey
Rogue was terrible compared to Melbourne’s Boutique St and I certainly felt sorry for the exhibitors.
In previous years I have only attended Melbourne as wasn’t worth the expense coming into our quiet season. Gifts and designer stationery are now the majority of my business so this was a successful trip as long as I don’t mention the word newsagent and stick to being a “gift store”. I only placed one order with an existing supplier, the remainder are all new boutique brands that aren’t stocked in our area 🙂
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Chris
Hi Stacey, Can you please tell me what affects there are at a gift fair if you use the word Newsagent instead of Gift Store?
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Colin, Malvern SA
Chris. Sadly there are suppliers who just look down on newsagents and others who don’t want their products in newsagents. Some of these suppliers are short-sighted or have inflated views of their products. Others genuinely have a brand to protect. It works both ways, there are some suppliers we will not deal with because their products are associated with certain types of outlet. Personally l didn’t go to Sydney but my wife did. She found some good products. She noted low turnout by buying competitors and many suppliers offering no minimum order value. Sign of the times.
Colin this another example is where being part of a marketing group that separates itself from the burden of the newsagent / newsagency shingle helps. https://youtu.be/mwIL99JsmmA
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Malvern Papershop
Mark , I disagree.
Buying groups encourage the stocking of products that may be inappropriate for a local situation and at the same time do not necessarily offer the products to offer unique selling points. Both points require me to keep seeking new suppliers.
Buying groups also tolerate the sort of underperforming newsagents I do not wish to be associated with.
I am not against buying groups per se. But until they escape the shingle and offer a brand image that is universally followed, I do not see that the benefits of membership offsetting the difficulties of independence.
Colin you show you don’t understand what newsXpress does then. I mention newsXpress as that is the group I know and understand. It does not do what you claim, but I have personally told you that before.
newsXpress offers access to unique products that serve very local situations. It also encourages its members to seek out their own suppliers,and many newsXpress members do.
It is a mistake for you to think of your business as a local business. That train has left the station.
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Malvern Papershop
Mark,
You take local out of context. By local I mean geographic location not just serving local market. I am very aware of the difference. Our shop is a destination for many people.
Yes I seriously looked at NewsXpress, it is the best option by far, not that the competition is up to much. NewsXpress is a very good solution for those in the right location, it works where the brand fits. The notion that a brand of retail is a solution for every location is an absolute fallacy.
I looked at many outlets in differing buying groups, none were even close to the type of store we have evolved into. And why would I want to be part of a brand that I do not associate with. More importantly, why would I want to be part of brand that tolerates outlets that I absolutely do not want to be associated with (comment is not aimed at you).
Not out of context at all Colin. While you will see local as those who you see in or near your shop, the reality today is local is those you can sell to.
FYI newsXpress has businesses in your type of situation doing terrifically from being in the group.
You’re entitled to your view about groups and newsXpress. I wish you’d stop ignorantly talking them down as some of what you write here you know to be untrue.
I don’t talk what you are doing down as you are entitled to run your business as you choose.
One of the benefits of newsXpress is the access it provides to suppliers who otherwise do not supply newsagencies. These include some excellent growth categories.
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Malvern Papershop
Mark,
I didn’t talk down NewsXpress, far from it. You should respect that some people have a different view to you and not label those that don’t as ignorant.
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Stacey
Colin, unfortunately the word “newsagency” does not represent the kind of image my suppliers want to be stocked in. I’ve nearly had to give my blood for some of them and have been declined too many times for using the word so removed it completely. We deliberately changed our trading name to remove the word “news” as this is no longer my core business. To be honest I personally don’t associate “nice stores” with the word “newsagency” and my customers have made the same comments.
I have to admit I find it strange that so many people are caught up on remaining a “newsagency” or “news” anything and certainly curious as to why? I can only relate to my own store but my core business is not related to “news” items. The weekly profit from newspapers doesn’t even pay a days wages and magazines are barely worth the space they occupy. Cards, gifts, toys on the other hand are booming so WHY hold onto this image? Is there an element of nostalgia, the fear of the unknown or the lack of an alternative brand/identity? Without being rude I understand some may lack the fashionable flair for buying and wonder if this is what holds people back from changing?
Stacey the people who struggle are shopkeepers whereas those who have embraced change are retailers.
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pat
Have to agree with Stacey,I get told quite often my store is getting less and less like a newsagency.To which my response is there is no such thing as a newsagency anymore and more to the point who would want to be a newsagent.
Went to all 4 – convention cntr + h/bush + life in style + rogue. All good for new Australian made greeting cards. In general suppliers much more accommodating / keen for business – most we spoke to said they were disappointed with turnout. Enough new suppliers and product to make it worth attending. Pick up new suppliers for leather bags + kids neoprene bags + chocolates + stationery + homeware + jewellery. Would be great if they were all in 1 location – but u/stand why the smaller business look elsewhere given prices charged to exhibit at the larger venues.
Rogue was terrible compared to Melbourne’s Boutique St and I certainly felt sorry for the exhibitors.
In previous years I have only attended Melbourne as wasn’t worth the expense coming into our quiet season. Gifts and designer stationery are now the majority of my business so this was a successful trip as long as I don’t mention the word newsagent and stick to being a “gift store”. I only placed one order with an existing supplier, the remainder are all new boutique brands that aren’t stocked in our area 🙂
Hi Stacey, Can you please tell me what affects there are at a gift fair if you use the word Newsagent instead of Gift Store?
Chris. Sadly there are suppliers who just look down on newsagents and others who don’t want their products in newsagents. Some of these suppliers are short-sighted or have inflated views of their products. Others genuinely have a brand to protect. It works both ways, there are some suppliers we will not deal with because their products are associated with certain types of outlet. Personally l didn’t go to Sydney but my wife did. She found some good products. She noted low turnout by buying competitors and many suppliers offering no minimum order value. Sign of the times.
Colin this another example is where being part of a marketing group that separates itself from the burden of the newsagent / newsagency shingle helps. https://youtu.be/mwIL99JsmmA
Mark , I disagree.
Buying groups encourage the stocking of products that may be inappropriate for a local situation and at the same time do not necessarily offer the products to offer unique selling points. Both points require me to keep seeking new suppliers.
Buying groups also tolerate the sort of underperforming newsagents I do not wish to be associated with.
I am not against buying groups per se. But until they escape the shingle and offer a brand image that is universally followed, I do not see that the benefits of membership offsetting the difficulties of independence.
Colin you show you don’t understand what newsXpress does then. I mention newsXpress as that is the group I know and understand. It does not do what you claim, but I have personally told you that before.
newsXpress offers access to unique products that serve very local situations. It also encourages its members to seek out their own suppliers,and many newsXpress members do.
It is a mistake for you to think of your business as a local business. That train has left the station.
Mark,
You take local out of context. By local I mean geographic location not just serving local market. I am very aware of the difference. Our shop is a destination for many people.
Yes I seriously looked at NewsXpress, it is the best option by far, not that the competition is up to much. NewsXpress is a very good solution for those in the right location, it works where the brand fits. The notion that a brand of retail is a solution for every location is an absolute fallacy.
I looked at many outlets in differing buying groups, none were even close to the type of store we have evolved into. And why would I want to be part of a brand that I do not associate with. More importantly, why would I want to be part of brand that tolerates outlets that I absolutely do not want to be associated with (comment is not aimed at you).
Not out of context at all Colin. While you will see local as those who you see in or near your shop, the reality today is local is those you can sell to.
FYI newsXpress has businesses in your type of situation doing terrifically from being in the group.
You’re entitled to your view about groups and newsXpress. I wish you’d stop ignorantly talking them down as some of what you write here you know to be untrue.
I don’t talk what you are doing down as you are entitled to run your business as you choose.
One of the benefits of newsXpress is the access it provides to suppliers who otherwise do not supply newsagencies. These include some excellent growth categories.
Mark,
I didn’t talk down NewsXpress, far from it. You should respect that some people have a different view to you and not label those that don’t as ignorant.
Colin, unfortunately the word “newsagency” does not represent the kind of image my suppliers want to be stocked in. I’ve nearly had to give my blood for some of them and have been declined too many times for using the word so removed it completely. We deliberately changed our trading name to remove the word “news” as this is no longer my core business. To be honest I personally don’t associate “nice stores” with the word “newsagency” and my customers have made the same comments.
I have to admit I find it strange that so many people are caught up on remaining a “newsagency” or “news” anything and certainly curious as to why? I can only relate to my own store but my core business is not related to “news” items. The weekly profit from newspapers doesn’t even pay a days wages and magazines are barely worth the space they occupy. Cards, gifts, toys on the other hand are booming so WHY hold onto this image? Is there an element of nostalgia, the fear of the unknown or the lack of an alternative brand/identity? Without being rude I understand some may lack the fashionable flair for buying and wonder if this is what holds people back from changing?
Stacey the people who struggle are shopkeepers whereas those who have embraced change are retailers.
Have to agree with Stacey,I get told quite often my store is getting less and less like a newsagency.To which my response is there is no such thing as a newsagency anymore and more to the point who would want to be a newsagent.