The Victorian branch of GNS, the stationery wholesaler owned by newsagents, is offering a 10% discount on a stationery order to any newsagent joining Newspower, the marketing group for newsagents now controlled by GNS, in July.
I own shares in GNS as do most newsagents – I acquired the shares, units back then, as part of a mandatory levy on every purchase through GNS. It is disappointing that GNS is using profit from my business and other non Newspower newsagents to support Newspower and that they are doing this while blocking competition. As I blogged here last week, GNS has banned newsXpress from its trade shows, the only trade shows for newsagents in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Newsagents are benefiting from competition between Newspower, newsXpress, Nextra and others. Each group is improving its offering as a result of competition. A strong Newspower would not need protecting nor the 10% stationery discount deal like is being offered in Victoria at present.