Newsagents must take action on overseas crossword titles. All three magazine distributors, Gotch, Network and NDD are supplying us with these titles. Collectively, overseas crossword titles perform appallingly. This performance is driven by having too many titles on offer.
Given that the distributors seem unable to resolve this problem, the only option is to tell one or two of them I no longer want overseas crossword product from them. This will leave me with selection from one distributor and, hopefully, better sell through rates from a smaller range. Based on performance, I am likely to drop NDD and Network (except for Puzzler titles which perform well).
The only alternative is for distributors to agree to a pay for performance model. If a crossword title has a sell through of lower than 50% they pay me a service fee. This has been put before and rejected.
I heartily concur with your comments. Imported crossword titles account for 70% of supply but return only 20% of sales. I was recently in a newsagency who had 62 imported A5 titles and 14 local A5 tiles on display. The newsagent admitted that the vast majority of the titles didn’t sell. When asked why he continued to tie up his valuable real estate and cash flow, he answered in the time old tradition of “I haven’t got time to analyse the sales”. Isn’t it better to spend a little extra time on scanning the magazines on arrival and allocating space accordingly, surely this is a time saver in the long term. It’s still frustrating to see agents using the computor as a glorified till. I’m not saying not to stock any imported titles, if the title sells, well done, but do you need 30 Find A Word pockets when 3 would suffice. Selling just as many magazines and freeing up space to display your better selling titles resulting in increased sales. Over supply is a major problem in the industry, I encourage any agent who feels they are being over supplied with any Lovatts titles to contact me and I’ll personally address your concerns
This website blows!!!!
CHING MING WANK ,you are missing a few letters from your name
You’re not from NDD, or News, are you, Chingers?
Good post Mark- I am suprised that you would consider dropping Lovatts, I guess I am biased towards Lovatts because they were the trail blazers in this Category of Magazines and they are a Brand name.
Do you think you are being hasty at this point regarding Lovatts titles, why dont you wait and see what your Stats tell you once you you take all the imported stuff off your shelves? and if you only want to stock puzzlers titles what do you stock from G&G in this category?
Again, I just do not understand why other Publishers do not engage on this site, I appreciate Terry contributions / engagements. It re invigorates me because the lack of engagement, positive or negative from the multitude of publishers out their.
I only stock Lovatts & Puzzler and the wordfinder mags are the best sellers.
Take 5 pocket puzzler is my most popular seller and maybe to other peoples suprise the Thats Life pocket puzzlers (Arrow & Crack) are strugglers in my shop.
Guys do you think Ching is actually trying to share that he likes this site? or is he a leg puller?
Apologies for the preceding post- Just noticed that this post was created in 2008. They do not call me the “master of disaster” for nothing
I thought it was a new post… By the way Mark how did you go with those O?S mag titles? Disregard the comment re: Lovatts as when the Post was written NDD was distributing for them I guess.
Derek
Derek, No, no consideration of dropping Lovatts. Their product sells well.