First I noticed it in data from my shop and now I’ve seen it in several newsagencies. Magazine sales are down more than 20% in the special interest category. Special interest magazines cover: buses, woodworking, railways, family history, UFOs, horoscopes and westerns among other interests. These titles account for around 15% of all magazine sales yet they take up around 35% of shelf space. So, there will be a tipping point where the real estate, labour and logistics costs are such that they are eliminated from allocation.
There was a time when these specialist titles were crucial to the success of retail newsagents. Our stores were the only place where such specialised information could be obtained. Of course the Internet has changed all that.
I’m thinking that I’ll be better off cutting some of these titles than have then fade away slowly and cost me more money in the meantime. I could sure use the space to better promote the magazine categories where I’m seeing significant growth.
Australia cannot afford the luxury of 4,600 newsagents carrying such a vast range of specialist magazine titles any more.