Magazine distributors and other key product suppliers need to move quickly to support newsagenst in Queensland newsagents affected by the floods. Here is what I suggest they do:
- Immediately extend trading terms. Many businesses are closed. This means no revenue … making paying the accounts on time a challenge.
- Setup a separate help line. Give flood affected newsagents a separate, higher priority, help line with a human (with compassion and authority) at the end of the phone.
- Don’t quibble. If they say they didn’t get stock, immediately credit it. This goes for dated stock which did not arrive on the day. Forcing them to wait to see if a delivery gets through for stock which out of date by this time is a wast of time for the flood affected newsagent.
This is an opportunity for newsagent suppliers to show that they do care.
I am concerned that some suppliers may treat newsagents differently to their competitors.
Network have sent an email re areas affected by floods saying “At this stage all missed deliveries in flooded areas (and areas cut off by floods) will be delivered on the first delivery day after the waters have subsided. You should wait until your next delivery before logging shortages for missed deliveries during this period” This will affect all newsagents in Rockhampton, Emerald, Mackay, Townville and Cairns.
Mark – I am interested in what will you be doing?
Will you be reimbursing or waiving support fees for Tower agents in the flood regions or for those that have recently purchased software give them their money back? Will Newsxpress agents have their monthly fees waived for future months or reimbursed for recent months.
Nelson,
How I and my businesses help newsagents is a mtter for those businesses and the newsagents involved. I do not seek nor have I sought to benefit from helping others.
Fair enough Mark that’s a good answer, but you want to tell others how to act and what they should do. Surely it is up to those parties to make arrangements without you or others telling them what to do and potentially in the future commenting on what they have or haven’t done.
Nelson I’ll leave the blog post to speak for itself.
And why are we heading into 4th January and Gordon and Gotch have yet to produce their monthly statments?
Of course, they will load them post dated and expect payment by the 20th thus leaving newsagents less trading days to pay the accounts in tough trading conditions apart from those up North are facing as well.
NANA and ANF should be made to do the walk of shame for their lack of productiveness for newsagentss. You continually let us down ..
Nelson,
Where have you been petal – did the floods in Qld wash you out from under your rock? Has the lack of sunlight upset your metabolism to the point where venting spleen is your only recourse.
What do you smoke that gives you such a machiavellian attitude – you obviously have an axe to grind with Mark, that’s your business and between you and him but why use this blog to display your biases and prejudices?
99.9% of the people who visit here have a genuine interest in this industry and are able to be constructive and positively critical but there always has to be Mr 0.1% – we’ve missed you Nelson – NOT!
Nelson , i would just like to say that Tower is just about the only business in the industry that has ever offerd to help out when times have been tough . i know this from my own experiences dealing with tower .
Nelson,
Tower was there for me over the last few months when my hard drive had to be wiped completely twice and have Retailer re-installed each time.
One of the rare times I agree with Jim. Good post
I really feel for the agents caught up in the floods, not only from the point of you of the flood itself but having to deal with the likes of Notwork and Gotch, why even supply the mags, it will take weeks for the water to suside and the businesses to open there doors again, i couldnt imagine delling with that then having to sift through 3-4 weeks of mags only to return them, them possibly have the returns held back or cop more abuse for an audit….
Sheila,
well what have you done about – fine to be critical – who have you called and what was the response
Network, with their email forcing flood affected newsagents to suffer further, are no different than the looters. The sensible thing, I would have thought, would be to make the effort to find out which newsagencies (and delivery routes) have been affected and contact those newsagents to discuss timing of supplies so that the newsagents are not faced with a huge influx of old magazines which will have to be returned immediately at their own cost. Shame Network. If Gotch and News are doing the same, shame on them too!!
If I was affected (and thankfully I’m not), I think I’d contact magazine and newspaper distributors (if I could), and find out whether or not there was anything in place, considering the many stores who are affected.
Hopefully they’d have some kind of ‘special consideration’ plan B or something for such situations.
If not, then shame on them in bucketloads.
Wendy I am disappointed but not surprised by Network. I suspected there was a reason mark wrote about this.
Notwork and Botch have a plan B?
Doubt it.
After cyclone Larry we received 2 1/2 weeks supply and had to sort each delivery check it, top and return for credits and pay for disposal of mags. We had not income but had to pay staff. Network soon cuts me off if I am late paying my account yet I will be forced to take delivery of weeklies that are useless. We have not heard a thing from Gotch yet. No email – nothing. QNF have asked for information on how we are beind affected today so I assume they will be raising these issues. Thanks for your concern.
Sheila, it is now the 6th and still no statement , maybe we will get untill the 26th to pay it ?
G&G acs finally on website