Advice on how you could grow crossword sales in your newsagency

Crossword sales are strong in Australia. The segment is performing well, delivering year on year growth for many newsagency businesses. It is the magazine segment that offers the best opportunity for growth based on my experience in-store and broader channel data analysis.

The crossword category is the easiest category in which to grow sales. Here are some ideas with which you can engage to achieve this.

1. Move the entire crossword segment next to weeklies. Every time I have seen this done there is a measurable sales jump.
2. Place crossword titles with their parent brand: Better Homes and Gardens and Australian Women’s Weekly, for example. This could be done as co-location – in addition to regular placement.
3. Call out a crossword title as a staff member fave and note why with a small sign in front. This type of personal recommendation works well in book retailing.
4. In front of Take 5 and That’s Life, place a plastic or acrylic pocket with A5 titles from the same brand as both titles are bought by the same shopper.
5. Pitch a crossword or two at the counter.
6. Pitch crosswords with jigsaws – they are often the same shopper.
7. Consider a crossword themed front window.
8. Consider a crossword lovers event. It could be a simple afternoon team with the idea of them meeting each other and sharing stories. Your focus could be to thank them for their love of crosswords.
9. Trial placing your most popular two crosswords next to daily newspapers. Count how many you place so that you can measure the success.
10. Run a loyalty program for magazines. Crossword shoppers will appreciate this and drive more whole of business shopping as a result.
11. If you have a table where shoppers can sit for a while, consider opening a crossword and placing some pens nearby so people can engage.
12. Shine a light on your range on social media – let locals know that your business is the local destination from crosswords.

Why do this given that you only make 25% from crossword titles? Because crossword shoppers are loyal. The better you serve them and the more you appreciate them the more return business you will achieve.