A blog on issues affecting Australia's newsagents, media and small business generally. More ...

Author: Mark Fletcher

Visiting other newsagencies

I’d be interested in how newsagents go about visiting other newsagencies.  Do you make an appointment?  Do you identify yourself in-store?  Do you ask before taking photos?  Do you share feedback to their face or behind their back?

Newsagents can learn a lot from each other … fresh eyes and all that. The owner of the store being visited can also share insights and explanations that could provide a better understanding of what is seen.

Partly because of what I write here, my newsagencies have been visited many times over the years. I appreciate the courtesy of an appointment. I appreciate being asked if photos can be taken. What I don’t like is the people who talk about what they saw (or think they saw) behind your back without the courtesy of even telling you they were in your shop.

What’s your experience?

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Ethics

Launching Bike magazine

We have been supporting the launch of Bike magazine from Pacific Magazines with this in-store display toward the front of the business.  We also have the magazine with our other bike titles.

For what it’s worth, we need to look at this title as more of a men’s lifestyle title than a sports title. Bike riders often engage in riding as a lifestyle more so than sport activity. We are thinking that this is a title to have in two locations beyond the launch, to catch as many readers as possible.

The other interesting point to note about bike magazines is that they sell through the on-sale – i.e. not bunched up early in the on-sale as is the case for many other magazines.  This is probably a title to not early return.

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magazines

Promoting Melbourne Wedding & Bride

Check out the display promoting the latest issue of Melbourne Wedding & Bride magazine at one of my newsagencies. This is located on the corner of the counter, facing shoppers as they enter the business.

I like the display. It shows off the title in an impactful way with the product as the hero. It also shows off other products appealing to the same shopper.

Wedding titles perform well for newsagents, delivering good year on year growth.

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magazines

More on bookshop challenges

Further to my post yesterday about bookshops, take a look at the report in the Courier Mail yesterday about bookshops in Brisbane and their use of an e-book kiosk.

Maybe I’m missing something here. I can’t understand people going to a shop to purchase what they can download from anywhere.

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Book retailing

Nice boost in ink sales this year

We are still a couple of days away from a major ink promotion yet ink sales are powering on. In the last couple of weeks we have seen an excellent sales bump thanks to people getting back to school and back to work.

The lift is gratifying since the sales bump is not due to external activity.  For me it reinforces the value of the behind the counter. More of our shoppers are noticing that we are in the ink space – and competing with the ink kiosk right ut the front of our shop.

We only carry brand name ink and offer this at competitive prices in our shopping centre and the surrounding area.  Being known for good prices on ink helps encourage ink shoppers toward other purchases.

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Stationery

Tough times continue for book stores

Reports were published in the US yesterday that book retailer Barnes & Noble plans to close a third of its stores over the next ten years.

I expect a look back in ten years time would wonder at such an under estimation. The Barnes & Noble model of mega book store is challenged in terms of retail space cost, labour cost, inventory cost as well as disruption caused by devices such as the iPad and Kindle.

Just as shopping centre newsagents have found in recent years that smaller format stores are a smarter move, mega bookstores will fade to just a few.

For a brighter future, bookshops will expand into other areas. Newsagents should expect some to turn their sights on products traditional to our channel.

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Book retailing

Serving One Direction fans with new It Girl title

We have made sure we have all covers of the It Girl magazine special on display as there are One Direction fans who will purchase each. While I do have questions about the viability of the 1D franchise through 2013, that’s a concern for down the track as interest this side of Christmas continues to be strong. This group continues to make money for us.

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magazines

Promoting Rebel Wilson cover on if

We are showing off the whole cover of niche film title if to leverage the rebel Wilson cover story. It’s an excellent story about an Australian performer doing very well in Hollywood, someone other than Kidman, Griffiths or Jackman.

Wilson’s first major role is about to hit the screens and this cover story is an excellent opportunity for us.

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magazines

Network Services lists locations not receiving magazines due to floods

Here is a list of towns and cities in NSW / QLD that will not receive magazines from Network Services this week due to floods.

Network advises that either all deliveries will be missed or, at least, part of the deliveries will be missed.

Network has also offered help in urgent supply adjustment where businesses have been affected by the floods. the contact is the point of reference for this.

To help inform newsagents of the impact of the floods, please send photos to: mark@towersystems.com.au.

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magazine distribution

Challenges and opportunities for newsagents feature on Media Report this week

I recorded an interview on Friday last week with Richard Aedy host of Media Report on ABC Radio National. We discussed T2020, the disruption of digital to print product, the challenges of retail and other opportunities facing Australia’s small business newsagents.

We talked for close to twenty minutes. It was good to have an opportunity to flesh out some of the challenges and opportunities in a longer format than can be covered on commercial radio.

the program airs a couple of times on Radio National as well as on Newsradio. There is also a podcast.

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Media disruption

Connecting with the younger Valentine’s Day shopper

Connecting with what I wrote about the Justin Bieber Valentine’s Day card, check out the display created by the team at one of my newsagencies.  This is located near our One Direction product display, adjacent to our Beanie Kids collectibles.

I love the display for promoting not only the Bieber Hallmark Valentine’s Day card but other cards that appeal to the same shopper … and some good-value Valentine’s Day gifts.

It’s important we promote seasons in different ways to different demographics. This display was created by someone closer to the age of the target shopper.

Each major season could have at least two, and often more, approaches in-store promoting the seasonal opportunity. Different displays targeting quite different shoppers. This shows a broader appeal for us. It also should help drive more sales for the season.

Click on the image for a larger version.

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Newsagency opportunities

Brilliant magazine cover The Big Issue

I love the cover of the latest issue of The Big Issue magazine currently available from vendors on the streets.

I we had this on our shelves it would sell well because of the cat lovers in our midst and because the cover itself is so different it would be noticed in the sea of colour.

I also love how they make fun: Oh no, it’s come to this: the CUTE KITTY edition.

The Big Issue is an important magazine not only for the work they provide people in need but also for what it covers. It’s an important and often ignored magazine in Australia. You can read more about its history and goals here.

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magazines

Watershed year for old media and small business newsagents

In case newsagents were not sure of the extent of the challenges and opportunities as a result of media change, The Australian today has a comment piece by Mark Day: Year of change ahead for old media.

Day is a Murdoch acolyte, this is reflected in his musings. The headline is accurate, the commentary only half so. he could have covered more and from a broader perspective.

For newsagents, the headline is the message here. I’d tweak it to say: Year of change ahead for all old newsagents. I make the distinction as some are already playing in the new world.

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Media disruption

Darrell Lea in discount confectionery

The photo shows Darrell Lea chocolates in a Sweet As discount confectionery outlet on the weekend. I am not sure if this will be a regular offer at Sweet As.

It could be that these are chocolates discontinued by the new owners of Darrell Lea.

If I was a Darrell Lea outlet nearby I’d be unhappy.

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confectionary

Plush jumping out of the display

This may seem like a minor, almost obsessive point, but lifting plush, like the black and white beanie Boos in the phone, so they look like they are lifting themselves out of out unit.

This placement looks more active and fun than if they were flat on the shelf, their feet inside the unit. Such placement would also hide the green feet – a colourful feature.

We obsess about things like this, specific product placement to make products more appealing to shoppers. There is no doubt that placing these beanie Boos like they are reaching out helps us sell more.

We’re doing more that $1,000 a week in plush.

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Plush

Check your People’s Friend

If People’s Friend magazine is big in your newsagency check where the two issues currently on the shelves are placed. They should be next to each other. This way you can parlay the $3.00 weekly issue purchase into a bonus purchase of the Christmas special issue.

I have found over the years that full cover display of the two issues next to each other works well at driving sales efficiency.

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magazines

Sunday newsagency management tip: running your business to pay for stock on time

Discussion at the newsagents yahoo email group last week indicate the extent to which newsagents delay payment for stock.  I know of newsagency suppliers with average collection days for 30 day accounts of 55 days and more.  This is a problem for the chanel as it pushes up prices for all of us.

Newsagents can better manage their trade debtors by following some simple steps:

  1. Order stock based on what is selling. This stops you swelling your shop with too much speculative product. If you want to bring in something new, convert some existing stock and space to cash first. Use your computer system.
  2. Track how quickly you turn your stock by department and supplier. Use your computer system. You will probably change your current buying decisions.  You can access the data easily.
  3. Look at two or three key management reports weekly. Stop waiting for your accountant. Stop relying on someone externally. Use your computer system. It knows more about your business performance than anyone.
  4. Be accountable. If you can’t pay an account on time it is your fault and you have to fix it.

I’ll gladly help any newsagent wanting advice on which reports to produce and how to read them for genuine business value.

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Management tip

Sunday newsagency marketing tip: a mum’s school holiday recovery sale

With school back this week how about a Mum’s Recovery or Holiday Recovery promotion or sale?  I know mother’s who have been looking forward to their kids going back, so they can have some time to themselves.

I am thinking about a special offer along the lines of double clips on our magazine club card Monday through Wednesday or a buy three guilty pleasure magazines and get a discount or buy a special offer on, say, fitness or fashion or travel titles she may not usually buy.

I think any such promotion needs to be around guilty pleasures.

For this type of promotion to work it needs to be about the mum who has just been freed from a busy Christmas and holiday period.  The offers need to be about her and not connected to work or chores in any way.

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marketing tip

Spotlight on Justin Beiber Valentine’s Day card

We are promoting the Hallmark Justin Bieber Valentine’s Day card – which plays Boyfriend – in a second location outside the Valentine’s Day card location.

In traditional card fixturing this card can get lost – hence our placement outside. We have placed it with One Direction product as both appeal to a similar demographic – even though they may not admit it.

We are also promoting the availability of the card on social media, to drive traffic. This is a terrific opportunity for us to promote relevance to the younger Valentine’s Day card shopper.

Newsagents not sure about this card need to know that the YouTube video of the song (which I have linked to above) has been viewed more than 200 million times. That’s a market to tap into.

Hallmark leads on licenced product and this is vital to helping newsagents attract a broader demographic.

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Greeting Cards

The ideal Australia Day magazine cover

The cover shot on the current issue of Better Homes and Gardens is ideal for promoting with newspapares this Australia Day long weekend. The pavlova look on the cover is perfect Australian fare. We have BHG here, in its usual location and a pocket with our weeklies.

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magazines

More capacity in mobile phone space

It’s easy to be lulled into a sense of saturation when you consider the number of mobile phones per capita in Australia and other first world countries – thinking that more retail space selling the devices is not needed.

The reality is that telcos and others are expanding the retail footprint selling mobile phones. This is helped by churn – people switching telcos, new devices – the continued rise of the Android and additional purpose need – the desire to separate work and personal use and therefor have additional devices.

I’ve been looking at the UK market this morning and see that Phone 4U is rolling out 100 new retail locations this year. I understand that a couple of Australian telcos are also targeting retail footprint growth this year.

I mention this for consideration by newsagents looking for changes in-store this year and for additional traffic drivers. becoming a telco specialist will work well in some situations, especially high street and regional and rural situations. I know several newsagency businesses that are local telco destinations and they appreciate the new traffic this brings.

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Newsagency opportunities
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