Some magazine publishers regularly bag back issues of a magazine with the current issue and label the sealed plastic bag 2 for 1 or even 3 for 1. Retailers often find bags torn open and at least one of the magazines missing.
The 2 for 1 offer is common in the craft (quilting, cross-stitch, scrapbooking) category.
Last week I was talking with a friend who is to crafts what Imelda Macros was to shoes. Every wall of her house is covered in quilt panels, cross-stitch and other craft things I cannot describe. She loves the craft and buys at least four magazines a month. She hates these 2 for 1 plastic bagged issues because she cannot see what what’s covered in the magazines unless she opens it. So, rather than asking at the counter for the bag to be opened, she leaves without purchasing. After she told me this story I watched on our CCTV in my store at least three customers in the craft section do the same thing. They picked up one of the plastic bagged offers, tried to see the second magazine, put it down and left.
Craft is a growth category but I’d bet the growth is stilted to this type of marketing.
I’d like to see publishers give newsagents the giveaway stock for storage behind the counter. This way customers can leaf through the current issue and then choose the free magazine they want. The publishers get to make their 2 for 1 offer and customers are more likely to be satisfied. Some newsagents will find the behind the counter approach problematic. Id; say it’s better than what happens today.