Some newsagents sell the free items removed from unsold magazines before they return them. A colleague recently saw a stack of magazine branded notepads for sale in a newsagency. Another saw a selection of tote bags. I have seen dump bins at the front of the shop with a selection of these gifts for $1 each. I even saw sets of cards from FHM magazine on the shelf next to other cards for sale.
I have been told by a newsagent that selling the magazine freebies is a way of rebalancing the magazine distributor “rip off”. I have also been told that it is better to make a buck from the junk than to throw it away. One newsagent was shocked that I would even ask why they sold the freebies.
Personally, I think selling the freebies disrespects a newsagency, its suppliers and the entire newsagency channel. It makes the shop look cheap. It trains the employees that it is okay to break rules and cheat suppliers – this could encourage them to cheat you. It shows the owner sweating the small stuff.
We do not sell the freebies from unsold magazines in my newsagencies. We return the gift with full returns. For topped returns , we toss most of the freebies. Pens, pads and anything genuinely useful is given away to staff or used in the business – they are kept in an open box for all to access.
I would be interested in what others have to say on this topic.
Most stuff I turf. Branded stuff eg. MOJO CD’s looks bad being sold seeing the customers had to buy the magazine with the bonus CD the month before.
I keep the unbranded kids stuff for around four months, then put around six items into a zip lock bag and sell them in a “Kiddies Bargain Bin” for a dollar.
My idea is to get young kids to learn how to count money, but it normally gets cleaned out buy primary school teachers!
I’d earn around $120 each time I do it, which doesn’t pay for my time putting it together, but at least it’s not going to waste and it’s helping the kids to learn about money.
I know your point of view Mark, I don’t like the look of it either, which is why I sell zip lock bags containing “unidentifiable/unbranded goodies”.
We give ours away to schools for fetes or what ever they decide to do with them day care centres also love them .i have never seen these freebies for sale anywhere but i have seen the extra magazines that are packaged seperated and sold at a discount to me this is also wrong but i suppose these days you have to do what ever you feel to make a dollar ,i also give these magazines away to a boarding school for the boarders to keep them occupied .On the plus side the school then come to me to purchase other items
I think selling freebies is deplorable and is as bad as selling topped magazines at a discount which is something I have noticed in a few newsagencies.
We keep child themed freebies in drawers (boys/girls) and give them out to customers’ children from time to time. We give some to the local shools as fodder for fetes. Topped puzzle books go to the local nursing home from time to time along with some pencils that we throw in sometimes.
Our local business communitly puts together a couple of gift bags for some disadavantaged groups or charities that come through our town and we always donate to it as well. Otherwise we give some adult themed goods to customers on an ad hoc basis which customers just love as a small surprise.
All of the above makes us feel much better about ourselves and goes towards maintaining that all important local connection. I may be naive but to do otherwise i.e sell these things smacks of desperation, greed and poor retail image projection in my view.
If I have any left, such as DVD’s, Take 5, Thats life, Ralph etc. I usually save them for my Dad & nieces. However the bulk of them go straight back to the customer (my favourites) for free as goodwill.
We also give the freebies from tops away – to customers, family, friends, etc. And I have never seen them for sale in a newsagency, but that may be because I’m always in mine 😀
We do pretty much exactly what Angelo outlined. Most of the magazine freebies I couldn’t imagine anybody actually willing to pay money for anyway.
Ditto. I’ve heard of topped mags being seen at garage sales etc. Poor form as far as we’re concerned. Topped mags go to interested family members. That includes free toys etc.
Anything else gets given away to our regulars. If I’m topping, and someone just happens to come in, I’ll offer them a copy.
Promotional things like leftover golf/tennis balls, are put into a basket, for sale for a dollar. Then those dollars are put straight into the Cancer Council tin on the counter. Signage on the basket also says so, and has the blessings of publishers (newspaper ones, anyway).
Don’t be so precious Mark! I made about $50 a week, every week in ‘black money’ by selling these excess bundled magazines. I sold them (magazines only) for $2 each in a basket at the front of the store. It took 3 seconds to write $2 on a small flouro sticker and place it on the front of the magazine. Selling topped magazines is taking it too far but I reckon any newsagent who IS NOT selling these additional magazines that do not have to be returned is mad. Steve Craig (ex Morpeth Newsagency)
Stephen,
It takes me only “3 seconds” to print price stickers for giftware that can generate sales of much more than $50 per week in the same space. And unlike recycled magazines it doesn’t look cheap and desperate.
Newsagents wonder why they are perceived as old, run-down and un-fashionable. This kind of bottom-feeder retailing is why.
why not save the freebies – especially branded ones – for the next issue of that title which comes out without a gift? it may help drive sales to mags that don’t perform as well when they don’t have freebies.
Customer – hey mate where’s the bin with the cheap 4×4 dvds
Me – hmm what cheap 4×4 dvds
Customer – the ones from the magazines
Me – not here buddy
Customer – whattt every newsagent I go to down south has them .
I cant believe some newsagents actually still sell them
Shaun they do. It is dreadful.