For decades cigarette sales have provided regular customer traffic to many newsagencies. Now, thanks to tougher regulation, tight margins and risk of theft, more newsagents are quitting selling cigarettes. We stopped over ten years ago in my newsagency and have never looked back. Many newsagents who are quitting the category today are moving into ink and toner. While not driving the same level of traffic, there is considerable loyalty among ink and toner customers. Once you prove you have good product at a fair price customers come back and back.
Ink and toner sales in my newsagency account for 35.75% of all stationery sales – this does not include sales through Inkfast, my online ink and toner business.