When a newsagent receives details of a Woolworths exclusive offer

I get that publishers need to make channel specific pitches. And, I get that supermarkets offer far more discipline that newsagents.

What I do not get is that publishers pay supermarkets for discipline while they pay our channel nothing. I am confident Woolworths is receiving a fee, in one for or another, for this six week exclusive promotion.

Space is everything to supermarkets. I have been told previously of how they monetise aisle ends, counter positions and other high traffic positions.

Imagine the discipline magazine publishers could garner from our channel if they financially respected us as they do the supermarkets. While there will be excuses, no has seriously tested this. I suspect, however, that it is too late to test it.

To be fair to magazine publishers, I am aware of newsagent exclusive deals being early returned the day of on sale, deals that subsequently sold out in less than a week. I am also aware of exclusive to newsagent floor units with a valuable gift with purchase not being put on the shop floor.

Publishers notice these things. Discipline matters to them if they are running an integrated campaign.