Newsagents in rural and regional areas are able to return the covers of magazines not sold as opposed to full copies. In the city we have to return many as full copy returns. Newsagents plan for this and usually allocate space necessary to store the build up of stock to be returned through the month.
I think there is a case for shopping centre based newsagents to be given permission for topped (cover only) returns. With rent costing in excess of $1,000 per square metre even for storage space, there is a considerable cost for full copy returns.
This is an issue for me as arrangements for off site storage of returns are about to ens. We either rent additional space in the centre or get permission to top returns. Hopefully when we approach the magazine distributors common sense will prevail.