We received 10 soccer balls today from Gordon & Gotch in one store and 15 in another. The packaging carries ANF endorsement. I knew we were getting soccer product because I saw it on a list of new titles I approved earlier this week. Had I known they were actual soccer balls I’d have said no thanks. I don’t want to sell soccer balls. They do not fit in my newsagency.
I have no space at the counter for these even though they come in a counter unit. Ugh! We currently have tweleve counter units and only two spaces for their use.
Soccer fans will know they can get brand name balls at sports stores. They don’t think about buying these at newsagencies – unless there is a major advertising campaign to drive traffic. Given that the ANF represents only 33% of newsagents, the endorsement is of dubious value. The ANF is engaging in an area which has nothing to do with an association.
This is not a smart promotion. For it to work properly, there needs to be a narrative built around the offer. This is done by bringing several products together with professional collateral to support the offer. This has not been done with the soccer balls.
The ANF wants to be associated with a sport where you can sit around for long periods and nothing happens? Actually, ………
This promotion is a bloody joke. My Beechworth store rang Gordon & Gotch this morning for a please explain, their response: “what soccor balls?”
another case of the anf working against us
how do you get to aproverove what stock you receive ?
It’s an arrangement I have with Gotch.
20 balls and i inflte them all for playing with my mates on the week end then return them all
🙂
I thought I was a newsagent selling magazines, newspapers and the like.
Seems we are a sports store as well.
I sent them back immediately and threw out the promotional material.
Now I know why the ANF are marketing Goal of the week.
Another example of our associations helping us build our core business.
At the risk of being the devils advocate and being shot down from all angles perhaps this is not such a bad thing?
You are absolutely right, soccer has absolutely nothing to do with a news agency, however why not make a connection? Perhaps the absurdity of the sponsorship will prompt people to make a connection and support their local newsagency? There are a lot of players, parents of players and team supporters all of which could turn their way of thinking to “lets support those that support our game”. It has worked with other sports that McDonalds sponsors Little Athletics. I know that the ANF doesn’t represent all newsagents but that doesn’t mean that all newsagents can’t benefit in someway.
I agree that the associations should have given consultation to its members before taking on such a sponsorship.
I have put our soccer balls with our sports magazines where the flat packs usually sit. (I do understand that this is not possible at all stores).
As the old saying goes, every cloud has a silver lining, sometimes you just have to look really hard to find it.
B, As I mentioned in the blog post, the balls have bene provided without context (narrative I called it). The supply is plain not smart.
While putting them with magazines may help, I’d prefer a more complete story. however, I suspect the price will prove to be the real barrier.
Mark, I do agree that the price just reinforces the “newsagents are expensive” idea. I was going to buy one for my son who is into soccer until I found out the price.
As I said I agree there needs to be a lot more consultation on what is sent, in what quantities and when – receiving 30 of a magazine that has no hope in hell of selling at the end of the month really stinks.
Personally I don’t see why, when invoices are sent sometimes a week in advance (via EDI) why we can’t use their online system to manage supply of magazines? I know that I have requested an increase in supply this way but their doesn’t seem to be any way to decrease or cease supply. Mind you I have used this to request supply of part works only to have to call and do it manually anyway.
There has to be a better system….. just need someone to be able to get someone to listen.
Newsagents these days don’t really sell the news it seems.
it’s more a mix of everything from gifts, to stationary and , apparently, sporting goods.
maybe if they sent a football or two for the grand final it might’ve been better.