In the 1980s and 1990s, print media (newspapers and magazines) drove around 30% of a typical Australian newsagency’s revenue. Today, print is under 10% in a well-run store, while greeting cards, gifts and specialty lines now carry the business.
The category mix has shifted from print-led to gift- and card-led, and the stores that made that shift are growing while those that did not are declining.
This post sets out the revenue mix of an Australian newsagency then and now, using benchmark data from stores across the country. The figures below are representative ranges drawn from ongoing sales benchmarking, not precise averages for every store.
Newsagency revenue mix: 1990s vs 2026
| Category | 1980s–1990s (typical) | 2026 (typical, transformed store) |
| Print media (newspapers + magazines) | ~30% | Under 10% (often 5–8%) |
| Greeting cards | ~30% | ~25% |
| Stationery | ~20% | ~10% |
| Gifts / toys / plush | Small | ~25–35% |
| Specialty & emerging lines | Minimal | ~22–25% |
Representative revenue mix. Lotteries are typically excluded because commission income is accounted for separately. Stores with coffee and / or food can see up to 50% of revenue from that single category. Stores with clothing can see it account for 25% of revenue.
This its data I have collected from the benchmark stories I have undertaken with newsagents for 20+ years. each study considers sales data from many newsagency shops and reviews hundreds of thousands of shopper baskets. Real data.
What the current benchmark data shows (2025–2026)
Recent benchmark results make the divide between traditional and transformed newsagencies clear. The same categories that are shrinking in a print-led store are growing in a gift- and card-led one.
| Metric | Traditional store | Transformed store |
| Total revenue | Down ~4% | Up ~3% |
| Average basket value | Down ~2% | Up ~10% |
| Gift revenue | Down ~3% | Up ~9% |
| Greeting card revenue | Down ~4% | Up ~4% |
| Stationery revenue | Down ~4% | Up ~3% |
| Magazine unit sales | Down ~13% | Down ~8% |
| Newspaper unit sales | Down ~13% | Down ~9% |
| Online revenue | $0 | Typically $75,000+ a year |
Category-by-category: what is growing and what is shrinking
•Newspapers. In structural, terminal decline. Over-the-counter unit sales fell around 13% in 2025, and up to 13% in capital-city stores.
•Magazines. Down 10% and more in unit sales overall, with mainstream weeklies and monthlies falling fastest. Special interest, puzzle and hobby titles are far more resilient (see previous note).
•Greeting cards. A cornerstone category. Australian newsagents account for around 33–35% of all greeting cards sold nationally, at gross margins of roughly 50–70%. Some newsagents are growing card sales more than others.
•Stationery. Everyday, functional stationery is patchy; niche and specialty stationery (journals, fringe lines) performs well.
•Gifts, toys and plush. The growth engine. Gift revenue up around 9–10% in engaged stores; toys and plush also growing.
•Lotteries. Still a major traffic and commission driver for many, but with around 40%+ of lottery sales now moving online, direct to consumer.
•Emerging lines. Coffee, homewares, clothing and collectibles are generating real money in transformed stores — some close to $100,000 a year from a single category.
Recommended revenue mix for a modern newsagency (2026 targets)
| Category | Target share of revenue |
| Cards | 25% |
| Gifts / toys / plush | 35% |
| Stationery | 10% |
| Magazines / newspapers | 5–8% |
| Other / emerging | 22–25% |
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of newsagency revenue comes from print media today?
In a well-run Australian newsagency in 2026, print media (newspapers and magazines combined) accounts for under 10% of revenue, often 5–8%. In the 1980s and 1990s it was around 30%.
What is the biggest revenue category in a modern newsagency?
Gifts, toys and plush combined are now the largest group in transformed stores, at roughly 25–35% of revenue, followed by greeting cards at around 25%.
How much of the greeting card market do newsagents hold?
Australian newsagents sell around 33–35% of all greeting cards sold nationally, making them the single largest retail channel for cards, at gross margins of about 50–70%.
Are newspapers still worth stocking in a newsagency?
Newspapers drive some foot traffic but contribute little profit and are in structural decline, with unit sales falling around 13% in 2025. Most transformed stores keep a reduced range and redirect the freed-up floor space to higher-margin categories.
Is a newsagency a good business to own?
Yes, if you are not bound by what a newsagency business sold in the past.