Inside the latest issue of Quadrant magazine, the publisher blatantly disrespects the newsagents who are crucial to its business model. here is what they say:
If you bought this magazine from a newsagent, you are missing out on a lot. Subscribers get so much more.
This paints newsagents as expensive, unable to provide the benefits of subscription and a place where one misses out.
We don’t ask to sell Quadrant. The publisher chooses to use the newsagency channel, to access our real-estate, to use our labour. They do this because it helps them sell magazines.
While Quadrant magazine Ltd is not the first publisher to pitch for subscriptions in magazines sold in newsagencies, they are in a small club of publishers who disrespect newsagents by putting newsagents down in their subscription pitch.
I have removed Quadrant from the shelves and returned the title early. I have cancelled future supplies. Until the publisher respects what newsagents offer I see no reason to have this title in my newsagency.
Do I feel screwed by Quadrant? Yes. Their clumsy marketing ought to result in newsagents taking the title off the shelves.
yep mine gone now as well
Talk about shooting yourself in the foot….
Stick it
Silly people ,gone for ever
Wonderful repayment for years of displaying the product; hope they enjoy joining the unemployment lines as newsagents tell this publication to ‘go jump’.
Even better luck on trying to get in to Supermarkets; these guys just don’t get it!
Well, right wing magazine – So no more.
For me, this is not about the product itself but about how they have so profoundly disresepected newsagents.
Already cut it from my shelves.
But reading the online article on Errol Flynn and a shit, inconsistent one that it is (Beam ends?), they’re not really missing out on much at all.
To be so stupid as to word stuff like that is pretty off, but really, this is not much different from the likes of News in relation to home deliveries.
Quadrant’s only crime is to be so sloppy with it in that context, thereby leaving themselves open to a newsagency boycott – not much skin off noses by comparison, but something to sink our teeth into nonetheless.
Actually, I can’t see statements like that getting past the editorial stage, at this of all mags, especially. Are we sure there’s not something else going on here, apart from arrogance of the highest order?
If I received it- Goodbye.
I think “sloppy” is a mild way of how this publisher has attempted to attract new subscribers through your channels. Although I am not familiar with this magazine I am certain it would die if newsagents like yours decided to boycott it totally.
But that said, and with my publishers hat on, we can offer more to subscribers because we know who they are. I am not trying to defending what has happened here though …
What they have done is dumb. I understand that publishers want to sell subscriptions, but putting down the channel that helps them advertise their subscriptions is just plain stupid.
All I can say Andrew is if publishers want to offer subscribers more then off the street customers then go ahead without me, I will not waste my real estate promoting someone who does not support me. I’m not having a go at you but publishers that want to put me down to build their own subscription numbers ie nationwide and others.
How ridiculous. Half the magazines on our shelves wouldn’t sell unless people were able to flick through it and make a choice as to weather or not to buy it. I guess this a rare eg of where we might have the upper hand. Goodbye Quadrant
The comment states that “if you bought this magazine from a newsagent you are missing out on a lot” doesn’t really state whether it’s price advantage or special gifts for committed purchases through subscriptions. It may be compared with that of the subscibers to the SMH where they get discounts fom all walks of life i.e. wine clubs, theatre tickets, trips etc. It may not be price alone.
Graham, it has nothing to do with price, it is saying if you buy the mag at a newsagent you are worse off, be if free gifts or whatever. It is saying newsagent’s do not offer good value.
Thank you for pointing this out. I have taken it off the shelf today and cancelled future supply.
Its a bit like partworks, with the offers of freebies to customers who subscribe. I make sure that these are taken out before our customers see them.
Chris, Partworks publishers also support putaways. Quadrant took a calculated aim at newsagents. I hope they feel pain as a result.
Dear Mark,
Thank you for drawing attention to your concerns about the wording of the subscription form in the current Quadrant Magazine. I can understand why you and your colleagues are upset about it.
It was a clumsy attempt to draw attention to our appeal for subscriptions, which I now regret publishing. I have told our printers to withdraw it from all future editions. It will not appear again.
Yours sincerely
Keith Windschuttle
Editor
Quadrant Magazine
PO Box 82
Balmain NSW 2041
I would say Keith that looking at the past comments more than a few newsagents have taken your magazine off show and will refuse its display. I will join them as of tommorrow.I accept that in today’s climate you need to do what is best for your product/business and we will follow your lead. The distributor will receive a letter also outlining that this product is not to be sent to our store.
See its an appeal to protect our business.
appreciate the apology keith, but afraid the horse is well and truly long gone, along with quantrant from my shelves. very clumsy agreed, but I have a business to run as well
Keith, I appreciate your fortitude in coming on here and making comment. It is appreciated. As per the previous comments made here and many more that I suspect have not commented we will not sell your magazine in our store under any circumstances. That would also apply to any other publisher that so directly and blatantly disrespects this channel in the way you have. It’s a shame because I think the magazine is a pretty good product.
G`day Mark, wasn`t sure where to post this but thought it might interest you being a victorian newsagent.
I have just been reading Inside Football (vol 39 no.25 issue no 1273 wed july 29) and came across Jim Main`s column (main line page 28). A reader submitted an e-mail titled My copy went west. The reader complains that his copy of Inside Football would arrive on friday instead of wednesday and that not only has this happened a couple of times this year but at times it has not turned up at all. Jim Main (the columnist) replies to the writer that he shuold consider a subscription as he too gets his copy that way. I hope Jim realises exactly where the majority of these publications get sold from (newsagencys).