Very cool Samsung
Check out this video showing off a flexible display from Samsung…
Read more about it at Engadget.
The future of Fairfax
The Australian yesterday carried a long interview with Greg Hywood, CEO of Fairfax. I’d encourage newsagents to read the interview, much of it will interest including this:
Q: Do you see the say you’ll stop the presses?
A: Well, if you saw a point where all the advertisers went online and there wasn’t any audience for print you could certainly foresee a dominant digital environment, but for the foreseeable future there will be a demand for a print product. Things move incredibly quickly. A couple of years ago tablets were a gleam in Steve Jobs’s eye – look at them now. We put an app out for the SMH and The Age which we thought might get 50,000 uploads. It is in excess of 300,000 now and we’ve got 50,000 regular users, and that happened in the blink of an eye.
Like I said, newsagents should read the whole interview.
Kudos to Hywood for doing such a wide-ranging interview for a News Limited newspaper.
Why the increase in The Australian Coin & Banknote?
Click on the image to see the data available to Network Services for The Australian Coin and Banknote magazine which guided their system and or processes to increase us from two copies to three copies. It appears that all it took was one issue selling out for supply to be increased. If only they responded so quickly to reducing supply – I am often told that it takes several issues for them to have sufficient data to reduce supply.
I understand the challenges of getting the distribution right at the bottom end of the market – for special interest titles where supply is under five copies.
In this instance, based on the sales data for this title, I would have thought that our supply should have remained at two until at least two or three consecutive months of selling out or until we requested an increase. I am sure the extra copy could have gone to a newsagency which is selling out.
Small increases like this add up … as I have written here many times.
Two years to get the Melbourne Observer
Finally, we get the Melbourne Observer in stock last week. It has taken two years. The distribution newsagent refused to supply, saying it would affect sales in their shop. Finally, they have relented.
I can understand the distribution newsagent wanting to protect their shop. However, as a distributor they should want the widest availability possible. This is where distribution and retail do not sit well together in some situations.
We should not have had to wait two years. All this and other refusal to supply decisions have done is make us more competitive. Co-operation might have been a smarter commercial move.
Weight Watchers magazine works with weeklies
Every time we co-locate Weight Watchers magazine with weeklies we see an increase in sales. While we have the title in its usual location, it is this second location which facilitates impulse purchases. We try and remember to do this second placement for the first week or two of the on-sale. As the photo shows, we don’t give the title the best position – this is reserved for the weeklies. Even with just the masthead on show it works from here.
Promoting Coach magazine
We are promoting the latest issue of Coach magazine with this aisle end display facing into our men’s magazine reading area.
Coach is performing well for us. It is a top selling title in the sports / men’s health / men’s fitness section of the magazine department. During the on-sale we give it a run outside the usual location as it’s a title girls can pick up for their guys.
We also plan to include Coach magazine in our range of titles we recommend as christmas gifts. If father’s day is anything to go by this promotion will work a treat in driving magazine sales.
Why the increase in supply of Dance Australia magazine?
Our supply of Dance Australia magazine was increased from three copies to five with the latest issue. If you click on the image you will see the supply and return data for this magazine going back to February 2010. This data suggests to me that the ideal supply quantity for it is three copies. Clearly, someone or the allocations system at Gordon and Gotch disagrees.
I think that the increase of our supply of Dance Australia is another example of oversupply boy Gordon and Gotch. The evidence challenges their claim that they do not oversupply. It also demonstrates to magazine publishers how newsagents can be treated unfairly.
Okay so it is only two copies and, yes, I can early return them. Two copies played out over a few hundred titles soon adds up. As for the early return argument, there is a cost to that.
What I want is a magazine distributor that is true to their word and does not oversupply, a magazine distributor that does not increase supply, even by one copy, without justification.
If I was a magazine publisher I’d want to partner with a magazine distributor that respects the retailers of my title.
It is decisions like this one regarding Dance Australia where I feel as if they have sent me an extra couple of copies because the stock has to be placed somewhere.
Making fun of Twilight
We are supporting the latest issue of MAD magazine with this full cover showing placement. Anything to make fun of the Twilight movie franchise right?! MAD sales are not great for us so hopefully this timely cover will generate some incremental business. This is one of those titles which will be purchased on impulse based on the cover.
Promoting Australian Traveller magazine
We are promoting the latest issue of Australian Traveller magazine with this in-location display – the only such display in this magazine aisle.
Besides featuring the readers’ choice awards, this issue of Australian Traveller magazine makes for a good Christmas gift.
We plan to maintain this display for two weeks, encouraging shoppers to consider it as part of their Christmas buying plan.
Promoting the TV show tie in
We have been promoting the New Idea Test Kitchen TV show in-store over the last few weeks. With the TV tie-in for Better Homes and Gardens working brilliantly, we figured it made sense to promote this connection with New Idea. Simple steps like this can add a sale or two each week.
Another newspaper masthead cover-up
The editorial content inside The Age newspaper was so compelling that they decided to cover it with a post-it note type of stuck on ad. Who cares about their cricket or Christmas gift buying coverage. This trashes what the newspaper stands for.
Sunday THE day for US newspapers
A sunday newspaper subscription can be as valuable as a subscription for the other six days of the week according to a report published at Poynter.
But the shift goes deeper than an uptick in circulation numbers. With limited resources, newspaper organizations are investing more in the most profitable edition of the week, tacitly letting the daily audience numbers and ad revenues continue to slide.
This report by Rick Edwards makes for fascinating reading for anyone interested in newspapers and newspaper distribution. It includes this quote from John Murray, circulation expert from the Newspaper Association of America.
“Yes, a Sunday (subscription) is likely worth as much as the other 6 days combined and that realization is driving pricing and cross-platform subscription packaging decisions at newspapers as we speak.”
While the US newspaper distribution model is different to Australia, changes which have occurred there will come here is publishers see that they can be profitable. Newsagents play (and will play) an important part in the profitability of the Australian newspaper distribution model.
I linked to the Poynter piece because of the recent moves by APN which included reducing one of their newspapers from six days a week to one – on the weekend.
The changing world (part 2)
Check out the video at All Things Digital of a discussion with Peter Chernin, former President of News Corp. While he talks mainly about TV, its pursuit of change which is worth hearing about.
The changing world
The reports overnight about the first feature film to be shot entirely on a smartphone show how rapidly our world is changing and how powerful these phones in our hands have become. Check out the YouTube footage showing how it was done.
Marie Claire focuses on female depression
It is terrific to see that the latest issue of Marie Claire focuses on the issue of mental health among women.
The Shine a Light initiative by Pacific Magazines is timely and demonstrates a commitment to social responsibility. Newsagents can tap into this by promoting the current issue of Marie Claire. I’d urge newsagents to click on the Shine a Light link to read more about the campaign – it could help in promoting the magazine as well as understanding the issue.
Click here for a copy of the announcement from Seven West Media.
The special feature and the Shine a Light campaign gives us a good reason for promoting this issue … giving it a high profile in our businesses.
Rugby League Week tribute to Artie Beetson
ACP has announced a special tribute to Artie Beetson following his passing earlier this week. The Rugby League Week produced tribute magazine (100 pages), ARTHUR BEETSON: THE GREAT MAN REMEMBERED, will honour this legend of rugby league. It will be on sale Monday in NSW.
Here is more information from ACP:
League legend, inspiration to indigenous Australians, all-round great bloke.
Rugby League Week celebrates the life and times of an icon with a beautifully produced 100-page tribute magazine.
On sale a matter of days after his passing, this must-have title will be highly sought after by fans of this legendary personality as well as League followers everywhere.
Utilising the extensive archives of Rugby League Week, ARTHUR BEETSON: THE GREAT MAN REMEMBERED is a quality publication that takes readers from Arthur as a young man to his times at Balmain, Eastern Suburbs, Parramatta and, unforgettably, as captain of the Queensland Maroons in the inaugural State of Origin match.
Written by people who knew him intimately this special one shot priced at a competitive $7.95 is poised to be a keepsake item.
This is a title to place next to newspapers as well as at the counter – especially in NSW and QLD. On sale dates are as follows:
- NSW – Mon 5th Dec
- QLD – Wed 7th Dec
- VIC, SA – Fri 9th Dec
- WA – Mon 12th Dec
Newsagents can respond better to this opportunity than other magazine retailers.
EMG adjusts magazine distribution changes
EMG has written to newsagents today with an update on recently implemented magazine distribution changes. The update explains why they have had to adjust their changes, in response to shopper and newsagent behaviour.
The biggest change is that EMG bi-monthly and one-shot titles will have a maximum on sale period of 8 weeks. No title will be on sale for longer than 8 weeks and we will still, where possible, schedule on sale dates for the first two weeks of the month.
In talking with EMG prior to finalising these adjustments, I felt they had no choice.
It is disappointing that the EMG experiment of increased margin, tops only returns and shorter on-sale period has not, yet, led to newsagents reducing sales-damaging early returns.
Click here for a copy of the EMG announcement to newsagents.
Should the newspaper industry receive government subsidies?
AdNews approached me a couple of weeks to contribute to their Mouth Off section, responding to the question Should the newspaper industry receive government subsidies? You can access part of the report online here.
Here is the full text of my contribution:
The newspaper industry should live or die by commercial performance. It’s business after all. If you protect them with a subsidy then what about retailers who sell newspapers, would you protect them selling a low margin product? I suspect not – and I’d agree with that.
I doubt that paying newspapers a subsidy would result in better journalism. It is the journalism profession which needs support and not one of the mediums through which journalists publish their work.
What is it we really want? For me it is fearless honest professional reporting. I see that more from mediums outside print and away from sites and Apps connected with newspapers.
With all their freebies, promotions and beat up front page stories, too many newspapers today are less news. There is no sense is subsidising a medium so its proprietor can run a political agenda. One only has to look at the poor quality work in Victoria recently leading to the resignation of the Commissioner of Police to wonder about journalism.
I am against government subsidies across the board as they cloud business decisions and make for an uncompetitive playing field. Just look at the government handout to the TV networks – unwarranted.
Christmas delivery plans from Network Services
Network Services is advising newsagents of delivery changes due to Christmas falling on a Sunday. Everywhere except far north Queensland, NT, TAS, the usual Monday deliveries will be made on Friday December 23. They are to be put out on Monday. Queensland, NT, TAS will receive deliveries on Wednesday 28. Click here for the notice.
Promoting Christmas to shoppers as they leave
Here is the rear of the Christmas display facing into the mall. As much care was taken with this back of the display as the front … so that we can promote to shoppers as they leave. Too often retailers forget to promote to shoppers as they leave. I have seen a good display work a treat, getting shoppers to stop, browse and purchase instead of just leaving the business.
I’d note that this shop is small by newsagency standards, under 140 sq metres. This means we have little room for big displays. Instead, we focus on these practical, product based, displays. Our sales numbers are good so the choice is working for us.
Refreshed Christmas display
The team has refreshed the Christmas display at one of my newsagencies with this display now facing into the shopping mall. The goal here is to connect with the catalogue flyer which has bee distributed and to tap into the TV campaign. We had some expert visual merchandising help with this display … guiding us on product adjacencies as well as presenting key brands in a bold and attractive way.
As I have mentioned here already, Christmas is in full swing from what I can see. I hope it is working in newsagencies right across the country.
Employee theft caught early in our newsagency
Thanks to the efforts of a team leader in one of my newsagency businesses this week we uncovered an employee theft situation early, before it cost us too much. The employee had only been with us for a few weeks. We were lucky to have security camera footage and accompanying newsagency software data to prove the theft.
Any newsagents in Victoria who are approached by someone with newsagency experience looking for work is welcome to call me on 0418 321 338 for a reference check.
I wish we could operate a do not hire register … It would save our channel thousands of dollars a month.
Catching the theft in this instance was assisted by secret tracking tools we use.
Newsagents who do not take care in balancing cash daily, who are lazy with their use of their newsagency software, who do not have a theft policy or who do not act on suspicious invite theft and the consequences which it wreaks on their business.
Getting out of Christina Re products
We have sold Christina Re products in one or more of my newsagencies for a few years. I have decided to bring this association to an end for several reasons – they have become less flexible, they are now in Officeworks and there are better value products for the newsagency shopper.
Suppliers who want to grow sales in the newsagency channel need to understand the typical newsagency shopper and the needs of the newsagency business. They also need to support us and drive traffic to our businesses. Suppliers who do this thrive. Those who don’t fail to reach their potential.
Placing products in the newsagency channel and expecting to leverage traffic generated by other products is not helpful or respectful to our businesses.
Our businesses generate considerable traffic based on four key factors:
- Greeting card range.
- Magazine range.
- Lottery products.
- Newspapers.
Smart suppliers understand the shoppers who enter our businesses for these four key product categories. They provide products which appeal to these shoppers. The provide newsagents with margins which compliment the margins of the four key product categories.
I am not suggesting that Christina Re failed on these fronts. My sense is that they never really understood the needs and opportunities of the newsagency channel. That said, I am sure that others will disagree as I know of newsagents who enjoy terrific success from their products.
Ah, cats, dogs and cupcakes
We are promoting our selection of cat, dog, cupcake and retro desk calendars with this display display facing out into the mall. It will work. Anything with a cute cat or dog works a treat, as does anything featuring a tasty looking cupcake. We are giving the retro desk calendar a shot in this location too because retro products have done so well in 2011.
Our calendar sales are up more than 100% on the same period last year. This is despite some tough competition in our shopping centre. Range and location in-store are the keys to our sales success with calendars.
Promoting Top Gear and the free calendar
We are promoting the latest Top Gear magazine and the free calendar which comes with it with this aisle end display.
It’s been a tough year for Top Gear and car magazines generally. I expect sales of this issue to be good with plenty of shoppers purchasing it as a stocking stuffer for dad or a son or as a gift for a friend. It’s what we saw for Father’s Day for this and other car magazines.
We are also supporting the title with excellent positioning in among our motoring magazine titles.