The Australian Women’s Weekly, the grand old lady of magazine publishing, could be in trouble if sales data I am seeing is accurate. Despite considerable investment in re-jigging the title by ACP Magazines over the last two years, the title is challenged. While sales remain considerable, they are falling in the newsagency channel. This may not be the case in other channels but I suspect not.
Look at the last year or so: a design revamp, more tweaking, three price points. These changes are unsettling to the traditional AWW buyer. Add to that the new and refreshed titles encroaching on this space: Better Homes and Gardens, Notebook, Real Living, Madison … there are many new titles playing to the same or a similar demographic. Also, habits have changed. We consume in shorter chunks now and AWW is more designed for a longer read.
Talk to executives from competitor publishers and they will tell you they are concerned. The last thing any magazine publisher in Australia wants to see is an iconic title like AWW in trouble. Trouble for AWW will reflect as trouble for the whole category.
If my information is right and AWW retail sales are falling, it will be interesting to see how the new management team in control of ACP Magazines handle this.
As a retail newsagent I need AWW to be strong. It is an anchor title in the most important part of my newsagency. I build other sales around its on sale period each month. But now I have to look for other honey pot titles to drive add on sales – titles off which I can grow weaker titles.
I first noticed that AWW was in trouble in my store a year ago when it was the most redeemed magazine title under our magazine loyalty program. It was the title our customers took as their freebie. To me, someone who failed economics and statistics, this suggested that AWW was a discretionary purchase with many no longer wanting to spend the money.
To try and kick sales we have run over the counter promotions and introduced road block display strategies based around AWW. Each has worked well, adding sales of 25 and more copies on the day – mid through the on sale period for an issue. However, one cannot do this every month.
I have no easy solution for AWW. Rather, I just want to record that AWW is unwell and we – newsagents, ACP Magazines and, indeed, all in the magazine channel – need this situation turned around.
To write this is heresy but someone has to open the issue for discussion.
G’day Mark,
I too have seen sales of the AWW dropping over time.
My personal opinion, the AWW has positioned itself in the middle of the road and by default fails to align or appeal to any one demograph. Not enough celebrity for some, too much for others, not enough fashion for some, too much for others and so on.
This middle of the road strategy I expect was probably done in order to try and gain new readers without alienating the traditional readership. Unfortunately it fails both.
I will leave the last words for my wife who, when I bring it home, skims the AWW in an evening and usually says, “Glad I don’t pay for this anymore.”
Bob Hunter
West Gosford Newsagency.
Bob, This is a challenge for us because it goes to the heart of the magazine category. We need AWW and other key category titles to grow and not shring.
mark
Hi please tell Debora Hutton to investergate ware Princess Diannas body guard is he survived the crash the British Goverment have hid him as I say he knows what happens being in France at the time I think I know
Reagrds
Rob