Some newsagents who have received 25% from the sale of Best Bets for decades had their return cut to 12.5% when the title moved from NDD to Fairfax. The same has just happened with the move of National Trotguide and Greyhound Recorder.
Publishers need to more fully research the implications of moving from one distributor to another. A cut in margin by 50% would make many titles loss making and leave newsagents to question the value of carrying the affected titles.
As one affected newsagent told me today: the “distribution system” as it is called is sick and newsagents are suffering.
The commission is set at 12.5% for those Newsagents who do not have a direct relationship account for retail with The Age.
I get 25% commission.
Is that fair proactive?
i would like to wager that best bets is the loser in all of this. My newsagency is in a shopping centre with a TAB in it. When i told the supplying agent that we would need more stock during the spring racing carnival all i got was a shrug and told that they didn`t have any extra stock. So not only has my commission been halved my total stock has been affected leaving me to try and explain to disgruntled customers reasons why. Best Bets should query their decision to change distributors. I have to accept less commission but why should i have to lose out on customer service?
I have to ask the question, why not get and account with Fairfax and get thwm that way, why bother wit a supplying agent at all
Andrew, fairfax will not start an account simply for best bets and they will not direct supply an agent for retail only sales if they can get another newsagent who has an account to deliver. The best you can hope for as a retail only agent is 12.5% or half of what the supply agent gets. It begs the question why would either party bother for such little returns unless you sold a shitload every week. You can get the same info from the SMH or Tele for $1 odd.
There is a case for publishers developing direct relationships with strong retail stores is compelling in the changing newsagency channel.