It seems some petrol and convenience outlets are pulling back on the space they devote to magazines is what I and others have seen recently is anything to go off. I know of one outlet which has cut their magazine display space by 33% to 16 pockets. The duty manager says he’d be glad to see the category go altogether because “it’s nothing but trouble”. Back when the local newsagent managed the category for the outlet sales were higher and magazines were no trouble at all.
It seems the pursuit of margin by some petrol and convenience outlets is biting them at their bottom line. Maybe if they ask nicely newsagents will manage the category for them again and lift sales.
Before magazine company people call or email, I’m not claiming that all of these outlets you took off newsagents are selling less. I have spoken directly with several as have a couple of newsagent colleagues. These are outlets which initially did better and for the last six months have been in a slump – petrol outlet bosses don’t understand such slumps, they don’t understand the category.
Newsagents who had this business taken from them three years ago might get a good response if they pushed to win back the business.