I received further correspondence from NDD’s lawyers today. They are say that my blog post yesterday compounds damage against NDD. They also say that NDD did not lose the Best Bets and Winning Post distribution accounts. My answer to this is that they don’t have the accounts any more so they are ‘lost’ to the business.
They claim that through this blog I demonstrate malice toward NDD. What I want from NDD is what I want from all magazine distributors – fair and equitable magazine supply arrangements for all newsagents. I publish more examples of NDD oversupply because I see more from them than other distributors. If NDD and their lawyers had their way I would not publish examples of repeated gross over supply.
The lawyers have also claim that NDD closed 68 accounts and not the 600 I reported. I have heard from several sources that it was 600 but since NDD through their lawyers say it was 68 I have to accept that.
Rather than using lawyers to pursue this blog, NDD would be better advised to host meetings of newsagents and seek their views on the matters canvassed here. They would soon see that examples I document reflect experiences of others.
I saw the 600 and instantly thought it was another “Fat Fingers Fletcher” typo. Big deal.
Superb idea, Q&A with directors of NDD, in each capital city explaining to directors of Newsagencies, why this happens and why that happens with the ins and outs of our relationships.
What a great way to kill your business
So much time spent reading blogs, contacting lawyers, closing accounts and increasing allocations when they could be getting their backward company using XChangeIT returns like the others to improve cashflow in our business. Classic sign of a business which focuses on everyone else but their own business.
I dont know about the accuracy of 600 accounts being closed, but I have been told by a very reliable source that 600ish accounts had their “supply restricted to publisher funded deliveries” ie Big League, Winning Post and Best Bets. THIS IS A FACT… I know because I am one of those “restricted”, Now all I get is Big League, oh and National Newsagent. Am I pleased about this, mixed feelings really, although with a sell through rate of around 18 to 21% for the titles they used to send, I suppose i should be jumping for joy at the space that has been freed up and the physical manhandling that is no longer required
Its not Malice it is what Newsagency are experiencing that is being reported.
Call me stupid, why are they closing and restricting NDD accounts? I thought it would be a much better way to go to not have so many crap titles, they should be closing relationships with publishers that have a low sell thru rate. They will distribute anything for a dollar at the expense of the Newsagent, that is how I see NDD.
If Newsagent Magazine specialist cannot cope with this NDD problem how can the smaller operators cope?
Why ais preferential treatment given to 7 elevens & supermarkets in only taking selective titles?
it would be nice if you lot stopped whingeing for a while and perpetuating the longheld belief that newsagents are simply grumpy old men (and women)
Back off anon, I’m not that old.
I think NDD have a long way to go. The fact that they repeatedly reject supply quantity updates if it isn’t in their favour shows that they are not interested in whats best for our businesses.
I would love to see NDD invest more time into fixing magazine oversupply. I know this will never happen because they make their money based on how many copies they can get into circulation.
Thanks Mark for keeping us posted on whats happening with NDD’s lawyers. I only wish NDD would have the same transparency.