Dr John Tickell is a nice bloke. I appreciate his knowledge and enjoy listening to him. His new book, how to put $3,000 in your pocket guaranteed, has been sent to newsagents on terms which will not help us profit even close to the promise of the title. The margin is not a fair book margin. The size makes it challenging to display with magazines. The title does not easily fit with other categories we sell. There is no supporting material to promote the title. The only way I can see this book working is at the counter – but the margin is way to slim to justify that position. But the counter is where we have it. We will give the book a couple of weeks before making a decision on returning.
What I would have preferred if I got a say in how this title was to be distributed to newsagents is:
- A margin of 40%.
- A unit we could easily place next to newspapers or on the counter.
- Marketing collateral.
- A promotion among newsagents with reward based the best early sales.
Just sending product is not enough. In is not fair to small business newsagents.
Mark, I read Tom Peters’ 44 rules and reposted them on my blog. Plenty of advice there for making money in these troubled times 🙂
As a newsagent customer I would like to say I support your thoughts. I don’t know what the margins are, and it is a good simple book; I heard Dr Tickell on the radio saying people could have his book for FREE from his website by just paying postage. Shipping cost is a sizeable $10.00 for a book that can be posted for $1.10. Customers would be better off buying it from their local newsagent. I have a copy of the book and agree it would sit on the counter nicely. It has been made with only a couple of colours and a coarse paper stock perhaps to suit the content of the book. I just don’t know that a quick flick through while waiting at the counter would entice me to buy it.
cheers,
Fay