It took off like a bushfire and customers embraced it. Now we are overloaded. The publishers who were there first, Lovatts and Puzzler, remain but have been joined by a ton of copycats and this is seeing many newsagents overserviced in the Sudoku segment.
Just another case for the magazine czar. Half the Sudoku titles sent to newsagents should not have permission to be supplied.
Hi Mark
I have just come across your great blog, I can see that i will have to take some time and read though your back copy.
I am a news & magazine retailer trading in West Sussex, England. You identify one of my great frustrations with our trade, that is the wholesalers and publishers hold the whip hand and given a chance stuff what ever they like out to us retailers.
We have been having such problems with inappropriate copy that I eventually managed to get the direct line phone number to our wholesale supplier, Smiths News, magazine allocation centre. Earlier this week when we were told that we were being sent an Adult title I was able to get hold of the deputy manage there and talk through the issue. The main failling is they don’t know what our demographics are and he ubderstood the challenge we have when I told him that 75% of our customers are over 45.
But tell me, do you have a magazine czar and if so what do they do?
Great Blog, I will be back.
Steve
Steve, Thanks for your comments. Gee I wish we did have a magazine czar. Newsagents here are happy to complain but, for the most part, not willing to take action. So, no, we don;t have a magazine czar. I am hopeful that one day we will and that newsagents will have more control over their businesses than ever. Mark