Having turned its back on newsagents by doing an exclusive deal with ACP magazines and Woolworths to sell its popular Pink Ribbon magazine this year, the National Breast Cancer Foundation has gone cap in hand, through the News Ltd subsidiary, The Herald and Weekly Times, to ask newsagents to sell fund raising merchandise. Here’s part of the note newsagents received yesterday:
The Herald and Weekly Times and National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) would like your help in raising much-needed funds for breast cancer research. We’re seeking your support in selling pink ribbons, pins and wristbands throughout the month of October.
Each pack contains; 25 ribbons ($2.00 each); 10 enamel pins ($5.00 each); 5 diamante pins ($10.00 each); 10 wristbands ($3.00 each)
Please note all products are GST exempt, due to this being a charitable fund raising cause.
…As this is a charity, we are asking that newsagents support this initiative commission-free on sales of the ribbons and badges.
Some newsagents are refusing to be part of this fund raiser because of the decision by the NBCF to turn their back on years of support from newsagents for their Pink Ribbon magazine in pursuit of a questionable corporate deal with Woolworths.
The NBCF needs to decide if they wish to be half pregnant or not. Previously newsagents offered the magazine, these fund raiser products, greeting cards, branded stationery and other products to support the cause. Taking the magazine away rips at the core of a newsagency. It says that the NBCF considers newsagents irrelevant in the magazine space. It also confuses consumers. Already we have been turning people away in my shop. When we tell them it’s a Woolworths (Safeway) exclusive some say they won’t buy the magazine.
Given the rejection of my business by the NBCF I’ll let them find other outlets for their wrist bands and other products. There are other charities I’ll gladly support. Indeed we are raising funds in my shop at the moment for three. (To their credit The H&WT has provided newsagents with the ability to opt out of this fund raiser.)
The NBCF issues aside, most newsagents actively support between 15 and 30 over the counter fund raisers a year. By support I mean: counter space, labour and poster space – plus time at the end balancing the cash and covering for theft. We also donate to local schools, clubs and charities. Plus, many newsagents give in other ways.
Maybe it is churlish of me to refuse to participate in this fund raiser. The NBCF has handled this badly. They have brought this upon themselves. Besides, they have enough big business mates on their side. Their communication with newsagents has been poor. I wrote to them over a week ago about the Pink Ribbon issue and they have not yet responded.
Mark,
I for one will not be taking part as my email to HWT below explains. Newsagents need to make a stand about issues like this. We cannot be seen as being ‘destination convenient’ until something supposedly better comes along.
To HWT;
‘Normally I would be more than happy to partake in such a worthwhile fund raiser; however what you are asking me to do is a slap in the face after the way Newsagencies were palmed off in favour of Woolworths. This is a hard decision for me to take as I lost my mum to Breast Cancer almost 3 years ago, however fair is fair!
Regards
Vaughan’