Happy Father’s Day to all the dads in newsagencies
That the economy is in recession does not have to mean doom and gloom
News platforms are bursting with stories about the recession Australia is now in. There are the headline stories based on the numbers and the personal stories of people losing their businesses and homes.
It is easy to get drawn into the doom and gloom news cycle. Unfortunately, news outlets think bad news drives clicks, and, so, they run the stories.
In our local communities, I think it is helpful that we act against feeding the doom and gloom stories. It is helpful that we do nothing to negatively impact consumer confidence.
My suggestion is: focus on what has been working for you in 2020, present as business as usual, bring in new product, change displays, host in-store events, be active on social media, play happy music, run competitions, be a good local retailer.
It is these types of activities that distance your business from negative perceptions relating to the recession.
Yes, this is a tough time. Worrying about it being a tough time will not help you move through it.
You can’t control that there is a recession.
You can control what your business does. That has to be the focus.
I have been through two recessions in business. Each was different. This time around it is expected to be worse because of the global Covid situation. The reality is that for many newsagents, there are elements of Covid that help your businesses. In many newsagencies, revenue is up in 2020 so far. This is good news.
Be attuned to opportunity. Also, keep a low profile as no one likes a bragger during times of adversity.
Sure, the economy is in recession. I’m sure that in plenty of newsagency businesses there is plenty of good news.
2021 year of the Ox 1oz gold coin out now and attracting interest
We are grateful for the opportunity to offer the just released 2021 $100 1oz Gold Proof Domed Coin – Lunar calendar – Year of the Ox from the Royal Australian Mint. This Lunar Year of the Ox 2021 $100 Gold Proof Domed Coin sells for $3,630.00. It is beautifully boxed and is appropriately stored in a locked cabinet, along with other collector coins from our Royal Australian Mint range.
Coin collectors are terrific customers. Newsagents have served them for decades as magazine customers. Now serving them with proof coins and collector items like this $100 gold domed coin is a real treat.
Can a newsagent sell a $3,630.00 coin? Yes, I think so.
The detail of this product is extraordinary.
We sold 100 of the Qantas centenary anniversary coin sets and they were priced at $180.00 each.
What I like about the products from the Mint is that they span entry level through to avid collector level. At the collector level, people will often purchase two or more of a new release. This is especially true for grandparent collectors who are purchasing for grandkids.
Coins are another category of expansion for engaged newsagents. Key to success is early access to embargoed release information as well as to insights that you can leverage for attracting shoppers you may otherwise not attract in your business. Because, after all, it is net new traffic that we are really after.
A Sydney Morning Herald home delivery customer speaks out
Here is a note I received yesterday from a long term Sydney Morning Herald home delivery customer.
I found your details and wondered whether you could assist, or at least provide comments. I don’t know how to write a blog on your website.
This was my Facebook rant last night and gives you all the details of this appalling lack of service since the newsagency informed Mum they could no longer deliver her daily paper …
I am so angry, and before I begin my long rant, (apologies), I would really welcome any like experiences or feedback
Mum has subscribed to the SMH daily for 30 years. Earlier this year her local newsagent advised that home deliveries had been outsourced. Since then, Mum has never received a paper to her door (she lives in a Villa complex of 10). She is 85 and has had a stroke (sorry Mum for the disclosure 😘). She can’t walk down the driveway which in Winter is icy. The papers are sometimes wrapped, unwrapped (and wet), shoved on the letterboxes or in bushes, and last week found right across the road. We have heard all excuses “the truck is too big” (joke) “the driveway too narrow” (joke) … the drivers’ “aren’t insured” (wrong). They are entering common property, as confirmed by Strata. Mum is not getting the service she pays for. We have battled for 8 months to get answers, and a resolution, and today I wrote to The Editor and cc’d one of the numerous people we have spoken to. No, I have not heard from Lisa Davies the Editor, but I had a call straight away from the Team Leader who said they cannot “control or make” drivers deliver to the door. What exactly then is “home delivery”? How is this different from Coles Online or Amazon? These drivers from National Delivery Service (NDS) are just lazy bastards … and no, you can’t speak to NDS. I even registered with them pretending I was interested in being a delivery driver! Yep, no response.
How sad that in her later years she can’t start the day with her paper as has been her routine for years and years.
Mum & I will somehow continue the battle … Just call us “Erin” … Erin Brokovich. 😡
Mark, I would welcome your feedback.
This plea for help is indicative of how broken newspaper home delivery has become. In an effort to drive down costs newspaper publishers pay less and less for what is a premium service, and customers suffer.
Note – I removed identifying details of the customer and the newsagent.
Considerations before taking your business online
Yesterday, I participated in a 45 minute discussion for my POS software company, which also develops websites for retailers, about taking a retail business online, including the consideration of what to sell and more. While the discussion was not retail channel specific, plenty of what was discussed would be of interest to newsagents considering a website:
Full face card pitch in there newsagency
We have rolled out a full-face card pitch in one of my stores as part of a card refresh designed to make card shopping easier and to leverage the full design of each card rather than only the top 25% of the design.
We have taken our time with implementation, having looked at plenty of card retailers overseas over the last 2 years and completing a comprehensive dive into sales data.
As part of the move we reduced overall SKUs but anticipate growth in sales due to improved shopability and broad range refresh. We have pursued a reduction in SKUs considering pocket turn and other data points. The long history of greeting card supply into Australia has been such that it has fed, and too often continues to feed, inefficiency.
The acrylic fixtures overlay traditional card fixtures, enabling the change to be implemented without he need for a shopfitter.
The changes have been in place for two weeks and early indications are terrific.
People are loving this Father’s Day card
People are loving this card. A couple of times now people have bought it as their second card, their fun card bought for a reaction. Indeed, the second card purchase is a trend for Mother’s Day, too. Not a huge trend, but a trend nevertheless.
We have pitched the card at the counter, where it is easily purchased on impulse.
NZ news outlet sees no significant traffic decline in leaving Facebook
One argument put forward by the government in support of their proposal to have Facebook and Google pay some but not all Australian news outlets has been challenges.
The Giant Stuff news and information business in New Zealand quit Facebook in July.
On ABC radio’s AM this morning information was shared indicating that the traffic impact for the news site has been minimal.
While I have shared my opinions here and here, I’ll note, again, that I think the code proposed by the government is poor policy that is being propagated to appease supporters. It is not the wise action of a free market economy. It is technically ignorant of how the platforms work and the control the publishers have.
The publishers set to benefit from the code, if there is a benefit, have broken business models. I doubt that any mon ey that may flow from implementing the code would support good journalism in Australia. That, in my view, is up to individual Australians, through the choices we make.
Jeff Jarvis on the proposal that Google / Facebook pay for news
Jeff Jarvis is a journalism professor and an expert on news and, in particular, digital platforms of news. His tweets, in a thread, just now are interesting and timely in my opinion. be sure to read the full thread:
As ever, Rupert Murdoch ruins everything for everyone. He has pushed ridiculous legislation in Australia to get platforms to pay him and big publishers. Facebook just said if that happens, they will forbid the posting of news, which hurts everyone. https://t.co/sD3EH9z5kF
— Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) September 1, 2020
As I have noted already, the proposed move by the government is foolish, ill-conceived and pandering to media giants. They choose where their content goes. They have demonstrated the value of journalism in all their giveaways and discount deals on platforms line the Apple News platform.
You can see how ridiculous the move is by excluding the ABC and SBS.
The proposal by the government is dressed as supporting journalism but, I suspect, it has nothing to do with this.
Evidence of changes to how and where we work – opportunities for regional newsagents
Further to my post last week about opportunities for regional newsagents, there have been several media reports over the last few days about businesses making these moves, long term committing to work from home and quitting plans for city based office facilities.
- UK Capita to close a third of offices. Plenty from this company’s 45,000 strong work force will not have to return to an office.
- Pinterest cancels plans for a large new office.
- Aussie tech giant Atlassian tells employees they can work from home forever.
- Guardian Australia on offices in cities closing.
- The Conversation looks at management decision making on work from home.
- SmartCompany calls for small businesses to consider a permanent move to work from home.
- And, related: The NBN and working from home.
A quick search will deliver access to more reports like these.
Businesses, especially office based businesses, are looking at how and where their people work. This is where opportunities for newsagents emerge.
I do think there is a new niche of products and services regional newsagents can offer to facilitate relevance in these emerging opportunities.
Strong online jigsaw sales for newsagents
Back in March it was a punt to pitch jigsaws online. Online was crowded with discount jigsaw websites selling at 25% and more off retail and, often, offering free shipping.
Six months on, the decision to offer at SRP and to not offer free shipping paid off. As jigsaws became scarce, price was not an issue. Sales have led to return business, with no queries over price.
Over the months, the offer has been expanded to include more puzzles, not just jigsaw puzzles.
Range is key as people often buy 2 or 3 jigsaws in a transaction. From this we can see age diversity in their product picks.
Click and collect has proven to be as important as delivery. Also, as with any website connected to a physical shop, the website drives in-store purchases. We know this as shoppers come in and often say I saw that you have xx online…
Back in March another hesitation was around the shipping of the products. Safe shipping of jigsaws requires an attention to detail to ensure the box arrives intact and safe. Given that the box will not fit in letterboxes, there was also the factor of parcel delivery and ensuing collection.
After several trials, the process was set and it has worked well since.
Looking at the data, less than 10% of sales are to local addresses and more than half of all shipments are out of state. There is something special about selling to someone who is unlikely to ever visit your shop.
Beanie Boo sales up in independent retailers by 30%
I like Beanie Boos and have liked them for many years. They are an excellent product with broad appeal.
There is more to like about Boos in 2020. The latest independent toy sales data collated by the respected NPD group shows Boo sales as being up by 30% in July. This is on the back of an excellent January to June.
Thinking about the success in 2020, in the middle of Covid, even in Melbourne where stage 4 is in force, Boos are successful and growing because they are:
- Colourful.
- Huggable.
- Postable.
- Collectible.
- Regularly refreshed.
- Low cost.
- Fun.
It’s kind of an I told you so thing for me because there are some in the newsagency channel who five or so years ago mocked me for talking up Boos. Here we are, five years on, sales continue to be terrific, growing. Better still, Boos are a perfect online sale with two of my stores achieving at least $25,000 in online revenue. Add this to excellent in-store sales and you can see why I like the brand.
One final point – Beanie Boos from ty inc. sell to anyone from 6 to 90. People buy them for many more reasons than you may expect and this if what makes them a commercially valuable property … the breadth of appeal makes them space and capital efficient. They also play a key factor in birthday card and thank you card sales.
This is all great news, which makes me happy.
Father’s Day 2020: fast, contactless shopping
We are pitching pre-set packs for Father’s Day 2020 for the shoppers who want everything ready to go. Here are 3 of the packs we have been pitching.
We offer to substitute items, including the card. We have other pack, too.
People can pre-pay for even faster collection. Plus, they can purchase and we will deliver locally.
Being in a stage 4 lockdown area we have had to innovate in our approach to handling Father’s Day. We did this early because we could see the season kick off early.
The three gift pack selections above and our other packs are designed to reflect the diversity of products on offer for a broad range of father’s Day gift giving situations.
People are engaging with Fathers Day, which is good, cared especially.
Ovato posts $108M loss
Click here to access the investor presentation slide deck from Ovato’s FY2019/20 report. Click here for the full year results. Unfortunately, the reports on the ASX website do not provide much detail related to our channel.
Is it time XchangeIT was free to newsagents?
Through my POS software company I get to connect with suppliers across 11 specialty retail channels. From what I see, the cost borne by newsagents to access electronic invoices is higher than any other channel. It is a commercial disadvantage for newsagents in my view.
As an owner of newsagencies since February 1996, as the owner of a software company serving newsagents since 1981 and as the owner of a software company serving other retail channels …
- Access to XchangeIT should be free for all newsagents.
- Penalties relating to data should be removed since newsagents see little evidence of the data supplied serving their commercial needs.
- The time cost imposed on newsagents to manage data for a low margin category should be cut. This can be done by introducing a 2020 approach to EDI.
XchangeIT roots date back 30 years ago as a different product, quite removed from what we have today. While the world has moved on, XchangeIT has not. It does not serve newsagents well.
Now, before folks at XchangeIT clutch their chests crestfallen by what I have written, this is not personal. The world has changed. EDI has changed. What is imposed on newsagents through the XchangeIT, supplier controlled, platform is out of date, it makes newsagents less competitive.
These days, we should be spending less and less time on back office tasks, especially for meagre margin products such as magazines.
Great to see another local and independent newspaper
Great, too, to see the Souther Highlands Express pitch newsagents…
The Southern Highlands Express newspaper is packed with local news. Get a copy at newsagents, general stores and selected retailers across the Highlands every Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/nEnuiHDZRW
— Southern Highlands Express (@SH_Express) August 27, 2020
Mixed messages from Australia Post
A few weeks after Australia Post was in the news with a report it was considering 7 day delivery and 24 hours after a news report in Victoria of a flood of Father’s Day deliveries, we received an Australia Post notice at our Hawthorn office advising mail deliveries will now be every second day, until mid 2021.
New Idea, for women…
I am grateful to the colleague who shared this image from a recent Facebook Marketplace ad. It’s an issue of The New Idea for women magazine from July 1, 1956 – selling for $10.00.
Interestingly, the RBA website inflation calculator calculates the 1956 6 pence cover price for the magazine to be worth 83 cents today.
Related to this, I know someone who has collected music and motorbike and car magazines since the 1970s. They started selling them on eBay a year ago and sales are excellent, earning between $10 and $75 a magazine, plus shipping.
How suppliers to retail are changing their models thanks to Covid
Suppliers, like retailers, have had to adjust their businesses in response to the challenges of Covid. Smart suppliers have engaged early, and cleverly.
With close contact the core challenge for infection, reducing contact in-store has been key. This means less desire for reps in-store, which makes sense. Thoughtful suppliers understand this, they have put in place alternative opportunities representing products.
Zoom and other tools are proving to be useful in connecting retailers and suppliers. Easy to navigate websites are key too, with more supplier business being done online. The beauty of Zoom and similar is that meetings can be recorded and made available for others in the business to see.
This is where the banner groups can play a role and are playing a role. I know the newsXpress the daily Zoom sessions which have been running since March have been helpful in getting more suppliers in front of more retailers – pitching product, providing back stories and helping to better target customers.
Retailers benefit from not having supplier reps in-store because there is less emotional purchasing. It is hard to say no to someone face to face. Indeed, several retailers have mentioned exactly this to me, that they find it easier to say no to an email or in a phone call than face to face. I suspect some suppliers know this and thereby preference in-store rep visits – for emotional selling.
A good website is key for suppliers keen to replace rep visits. Too many suppliers to our channel do not have a good online presence.
I suspect that post-Covid we will not go back to where we were when it comes to rep visits. Personally, that’s what I hope for as too many rep visits do not deliver the necessary commercial benefits. They are inefficient and facilitate an inconsistent supplier pitch.
The other change smart suppliers are embracing is through product range. For example, some suppliers have embraced the categories doing particularly well and making easy to purchase packages available. On top of this, we are seeing suppliers pitch products not usually pitched to our channel, which is good.
Change is the name of the game. Suppliers embracing change are more likely to be the winners from this year.
Newsagents ignored in Warhammer Mortal Realms partwork TV ad
Newsagents used to always be tagged in partwork launch TV commercials, for years and years. This was key to driving traffic and sales success. The TV campaigns always resulted in a traffic surge.
The lack of a tag on the TVC for the new Warhammer Mortal Realms partwork launch could be a reason for dismal sales so far.
Given that they show the Australian price, it would have been easy to tag newsagents on the screen and in the voice-over. What a missed opportunity! Here is the Australian TVC:
Newsagents benefit from the shift to regional Australia
Regional Australia has proven to be a safer place too live and work as COVID-19 has wreaked its havoc here and around the world.
Higher population density has been shown to have its disadvantages. Large offices and busy workplaces, too.
People have learned to work from home. Businesses have adjusted – what was not an option in 2019 is commonplace in 2020.
I suspect that some, maybe plenty, of the changes implemented for the short term earlier this year will stick, that regional Australia will remain appealing for families, and for businesses. Indeed, that appeal could grow.
Business owners I have spoken with are reassessing their need to bring people to an office for 8 hours to work when productivity can be as good, or better with folks working from home. On top of the commute time saving, there is a cost saving – to individuals and business.
In this evolving world we will see new businesses spring up, serving people working regionally who need an office, but maybe only for a few hours a week.
On the issue of offices, small to medium sized business owners I talk with are all considering their on-going city based infrastructure needs – office space, workstations, big photocopiers and more. There could be savings, too, from less of a need for company vehicles. It is easy to cost the benefit of retreating from this as the costs of the central office are well known.
In all of this there are opportunities for retailers and local, regional, service providers. This is where local regional newsagents can play a role – as suppliers of more stationery for people working from home and businesses re-locating regionally, as providers of services in support of these situations and, for some, as providers of shared workspaces where people need an office or more privacy than home offers.
COVID-19 has shown us the extent to which people and businesses can and will change for a healthier situation. Regional Australia is well placed to serve in this situation.
I think it is safe for regionally located businesses to invest time in working on leveraging the opportunities uncovered. If my retail businesses were regional, this is what I would be doing. I would be looking to serve the needs of individuals and businesses through providing short-term office rental, easy access to supplies and easy access to business support services.
COVID-19 has shown us all how to transact business differently. Smart businesses have embraced those changes and done so in a way that offers employees a healthier and more enjoyable work life.
Forward thinking newsagents and others are already embracing the opportunities revealed in 2020.
My recommended investigative journalism outlets
Given recent comments here on Google and news, here are investigative journalism outlets in Australia that, in my opinion, lead the pack on investigative journalism in Australia.
- Michael West Media.
- Crikey. and Crikey Inq.
- The Saturday Paper.
- The Klaxon.
- The New Daily.
- The C0nversation.
- The Guardian.
- The ABC, usually.
- The Independents is a good site that aggregates contents from independent sites.
Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments. I don’t care if you like my list or not, it’s my list, just as your list is your list.
Westfield locks out some retail tenants
The Nine papers late Thursday night reported actions by Westfield against some major tenants over unpaid rent.
Westfield shopping mall owner Scentre has begun locking non-rent-paying retailers out of their stores in a dramatic escalation of tensions between major landlords and their retail tenants.
ASX-listed retailer Mosaic Group, which operates stores such as Noni B, Rivers and Katies, told investors on Thursday afternoon 129 of its stores in Westfield nationally had been “temporarily closed by the landlord Scentre Group”.
…
Scentre’s approach is the newest escalation of tensions between landlords and major retail tenants over rental amounts paid during coronavirus lockdowns, where many stores were shut or receiving significantly reduced income due to social distancing measures.
Mosaic, along with other retailers such as Solomon Lew’s Premier Investments, have either refused to pay rent or paid a reduced level of rent to their landlords during the period, saying that proprietors should share the burden of the economic crunch brought on by COVID-19.
The ABC published a story about this yesterday.
I was surprised months ago to read that several major shopping centre tenants had stopped maying rent. I have shops in 2 Westfield centres and have kept paying, albeit at a reduced amount and with transparency to Westfield, as I knew at some point, once the national code discounts are applied, there’d be a call what is owing.
While I am interested in any pressure on landlords on rent overall, deliberately not paying rent is not a good negotiating tactic in my view. It will be interesting to see where this story plays out.