One question doing the rounds of the ANF newsagent’s conference on the Gold Coast yesterday was about the future ownership of NDD magazine distributors. Some seem to think there will be a change of ownership in a matter of weeks. Others are more wishing for change given the performance of many of the NDD titles – data from my newsagency and many others I have seen show NDD delivering the worst overall sell through rate for newsagents.
Newsagents place extraordinary faith in magazine distributors. Poor scale out decisions can cost the small business channel millions. This is why there would be strong interest among newsagents if NDD were to change hands for such may represent an opportunity to drive a more commercially viable relationship.
NDD was the centre of much discussion among newsagents attending the conference – many lamenting the cost to their business of the preparedness of NDD to supply through the channel titles which are not commercially viable on current terms at retail.