We are promoting the latest issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine with this in-location display.  This is in addition to the counter display which I mentioned over a week ago. As the second most popular magazine in Australia this bonus support just about always results in sales growth for us.

The in-location display for Better Homes and Gardens is the only one on this side of the aisle – this helps draw attention.

With the TV show back on the air and continuing its strong rating showing this is an ideal magazine for newsagents to regularly and boldly promote.

The Australian Financial Review reports today that Nine Entertainment Co. has engaged Macquarie Group to explore the potential sale of ACP Magazines. The report goes on to note that senior executives from Seven West, owner of Pacific Magazines, have met with Macquarie for “preliminary” discussions. I’m sure newsagents will want to read the lengthy report in the AFR.  Network Services magazine distribution business sits under the ACP structure as I understand it.

While I can see benefits for a merged entity, I expect that the ACCC would have some concerns about the move based on past decisions. That said, in any change there exists opportunities.

I have no doubt that 2012 will be a year of consolidation across a range of suppliers who trade with newsagents. We have seen one move already in the software space. I am sure there are be more changes on the way.

We have been promoting the latest issue of Marie Claire magazine on a column which is seen by shoppers as they head to the counter from the greeting card aisle.

Given the surge in card sales this Valentine’s week and given the types of shoppers it attracts we figured this was ideal placement for driving incremental business for Marie Claire and promoting the free $50 Mimco voucher which comes with the magazine.

We also have Marie Claire in ideal placement in our women’s magazine aisle, toward the entrance and in a half waterfall display.

Dumplings are very popular at the moment, especially here in Melbourne. We have some highly regarded (and hard to get into) dumpling restaurants and other places which have added dumplings to their menu to tap into the craze. I was therefore thrilled to see the cover of the latest issue of Feast magazine.

The dumpling taps beautifully, and deliciously, into the interest in dumplings.  The cover story makes this issue of the magazine relevant to today’s food trends. I like that.

We are giving the magazine star treatment with ideal placement in our food section as well as time next to the newspapers to drive impulse purchases.

There is no doubt that dumplings are a food of the moment.  This latest issue of Feast gives newsagents an opportunity to tap into this interest. I’d encourage every newsagent reading this to ensure that the latest issue of Feast is in a high traffic and fully visible location. You should sell more copies as a result.

We are promoting the latest issue of Dolly magazine, which comes with a free novel, with this in-location placement. It’s a feature in our women’s / girl’s magazine aisle. We’re set to sell to based on current sales.

While the display is very simple and not the billboard display some publishers prefer, it will work a treat and drive the sales outcome we all want.

regulars here would know that I am a fan of these in-location displays. That’s because they work – especially when you have a genuine value proposition like this offer from ACP magazines for the latest issue of Dolly magazine.

The display will run for a few days more.

Sales of Take 5 and That’s Life dropped this audit by 7.10% and 6.22% respectively.  This is not ideal for newsagents given that these titles anchor our Wednesday traffic and magazine sales. We need to be actively engaged with publishers in helping to arrest the situation as the mid week traffic bump is vital not only to the sales of these titles but sales more generally in our newsagencies.

Of the titles themselves, I’d like to see them become more relevant to the target shopper. While I am no publisher I think this is done by way of content rather than giveaways and promotions.

Check out the report of Mumbrella for more on the performance of Take 5 and That’s Life and other weeklies. It’s vital reading for any newsagent who considers themselves to be a magazine specialist.

The sales of Zoo dropped 26.94% in the latest circulation audit to December 2011 while sales for People dropped 25.65% and Picture 23.76%. With the titillation offered by these titles so readily available online and through handheld devices, why pay? That’s what I am wondering at least. We we will continue to carry the titles, they are actually loss making when you look at the cost of retail real-estate and the labour required to manage them.

With a circulation of just 29,834, People must be the title under the most pressure.

While I am no publisher, it seems to me that the only upside for these titles is for them to offer something not available for free online. I’m not sure what that is but this must be the challenge for the titles to regain relevance.  Browser time is always an indicator of title success.  It was just a few years ago that our soft porn section would be busy on the weekend. This is no more. I suspect that the guys who stopped off for half an hour or so instead go find a quiet place for some time on their smart phone.

Frankie magazine continues its sales growth run with an increase of 13.87% in the latest audit results to December 2011.  As I have noted here several times, Frankie is enjoying tremendous sales success. This is a title newsagents could drive further.  It’s easy: give Frankie prime positioning, if you sell out order more, use it to attract younger girls … they will purchase other items.  Frankie offers newsagents a traditional win win – all it takes is a bit of work.

If we are the magazine specialists we see ourselves as we should act like it and be driving the sales growth of these successful titles like Frankie.  The thing is that we are not as much as the forefront of growth as we should be and that is a problem for the future of the newsagency channel.

Caravan & Motorhomes magazines from EMG increased sales in the latest audit to December 2011 by 15.91% … no thanks to newsagents.  yes, many of us early returned this title despite the publisher delivering to us bonus commission. The publisher sought to engage with us on valuable commercial terms and we flipped them the bird and disrespected the title.

Supermarkets grew sales of Caravan & Motorhomes more than newsagents.  I discussed this with the publisher yesterday and while they are frustrated at the early return behaviour of some newsagents, they will continue to support the channel.

Check out how you have been treating Caravan & Motorhomes.  Is it in prime position with your caravan titles? Have you been early returning?  The audit results tell you that you can achieve growth. The question if this us a sure thing, why not embrace it?

Sales of Game Informer magazine increased by 54.97% in the latest audit to December 2011.  That is a massive increase for what is for newsagents a special interest title.  This growing popularity, ahead of the pack of other growth titles, means that we need to take more notice of and care with Game Informer. Give it hero treatment and this will help us drive sales even more.

I see titles delivering excellent sales growth as low hanging fruit opportunities – they will be easier for us to grow sales in our stores.  So the success list is a target list for me.

Masterchef magazine lost 33.42% of its circulation in the audit to December 2011. This is the second biggest decline in the audit.  For a title connected to a successful TV franchise this is a dreadful result for the publisher.

As I have noted here previously, Masterchef has lost its way. It does not play to the TV show connection and, in my view, does not make itself appealing enough to be sought out from the excellent range of food titles we have in Australia.

The title will either be need to be dramatically overhauled.  Given the publisher’s marketing in 2011, I fear that the overhaul will come at the cost of newsagency sales.

Newsagents would not be surprised to hear that FHM magazine has dropped 50% of its sales. We have seen this in-store.  mUmBRELLA has the story.

This whole space continues to be a challenge.  My sense is that publishers are not offering a lad’s mag which caters to the Australian marketplace.

More broadly, the mUmBRELLA article includes this from Matt Stanton, CEO of ACP magazines:

“ACP is progressively offering new ways for readers to engage with our magazine brands.  We currently offer 36 digital editions of ACP magazines, and the growing number of people interacting with our mastheads on those applications and platforms is not yet reflected in circulation figures.

“Our digital distribution strategy will allow our readers to access our content when and where it suits them, enhancing their engagement and enjoyment of our magazines, attracting new readers and strengthening the brands themselves.”

It’s been a tough audit for a bunch of publishers.  I’ll pick on some more titles in the next few posts.