Women’s Weekly sales this month already are on fire in my newsagency and several others I have checked with. Comparing the first two days of the on sale period this month with any of the last twelve months are sales are more than double. We’re promoting the magazine the same way , traffic in my centre has not grown much – so the growth must be due to interest in the product. Even after I allow for our annual growth of 26% Women’s Weekly is still up 100%. It’d got to be either Oprah on the front cover or the Kerry Packer story and photo tribute. I’m noticing more sales from our impulse sales points than usual. Women’s Weekly is usually more of a habit purchase. This month is different.
Newsagents, when they see a sales kick like this in the first two days of a 30 day on sale period can respond. Supermarkets and petrol/convenience outlets rarely respond. This is why newsagents make better retail partners for publishers.