Foreign language newspapers accounted for 15% of all newspaper sales at our newsXpress Forest Hill store in January. Their sales rose 7% in January while sales of dailies fell by 9% in the same period. While I write here more about our promotion of magazines, we feature the top selling daily newspaper in two locations – one near our busiest lottery counter. Foreign newspapers have, on average, a 48% higher cover price, making each sale more rewarding.
Now, before News Ltd or Fairfax folk think about emailing me, I am glad to have daily newspapers. While I wish you would focus more on loyal retail customers, reward retail newsagents for professional business support and set a commercially fair retail price, I like the product and the traffic it continues to drive. My point about foreign titles is that niches are important and prifitable. The growth in this category of newspapers is most welcome.
With daily newspapers available in a variety of retail outlets, it is the range of foreign language newspapers which define my newsagency and thousands of others as the news specialist.