New Home Trends and the various other Trend titles are poor performers. Not only in my newsagencies but others I have seen recently. They have a long shelf life (five months for New Home) and, overall, a poor sell-through (25% or less). Despite the poor sell-through, the distributor (NDD) continues to send product. While the NDD response will be that I can early-return the product, their internal systems should have alerted them that I will be lucky to sell one copy let alone all they sent me. I either let them take my cash for product which will not sell or fund the cost of early return. This is a perfect example of where we should rip off the cover and only send this back – to ensure that this title does not do the cycle further and cost more newsagents.
If NDD cannot sort these problems out, more newsagents will shut their accounts with the company. A better outcome would be fair supply based on sales data.
This problem matters to all magazine publishers in Australia because the money and time wasted on these Trend and similar titles (Universal Magazines) which are oversupplied and with a long shelf life is money and time not available for more productive titles.
I am happy to carry the Trend titles but only on equitable terms. The current terms are anything but.
One day publishers will wonder why newsagents either shut or dramatically reduced magazine space. The problem I have described in the blog post, and many others like it, will be a key reason.
Mark I am sick on these Trend magazines. We get too many, cut back and ndd increases supply. Like you closing the nddd account might be the best move once and for all.