Day: August 16, 2011

The iPad and other tablet devices are impacting newsagency businesses in a number of ways operationally as well as at the sales counter.

In response to a comment here, here are my thoughts on the impact of the iPad and similar devices.

How the iPad can impact operationally on a newsagency:

1. I know of newsagents who have been using their iPads as business tools since the device was first launched. They are using it for a number of purposes:
2. To access the business from home or on the road and check sales and do back office work.
3. To check inventory sales history from a supplier warehouse or a trade show floor.
4. To use the iPad as an additional software access terminal without the need to purchase a full terminal.
5. As a display device for newspaper delivery runs.

How the iPad is impacting on newsagency sales:

1. More people are accessing news and information using mobile devices. This is leading to changes in how consumers access news and information and thereby changing the role of newspapers and magazines.
2. More publishers are pursuing models whereby they nurture direct to consumer relationships through Apps.
3. Some newspapers in the US have closed down their print editions in favour of and online only model. In Seattle, the publisher did this to the financial success of the business.
4. Some magazine publishers have launched digital only titles.
5. Many publishers are working on the reader experience to find magic which provides the reader with a better than paper experience.
6. In books we are seeing booklets published for these devices, kind of novella in size and costing a few cents. This and other innovation is bringing more voices to the public arena.
7. There is a move to freeing articles from mastheads, making them available for micro payments. Look at what happened when this move was achieved with music.
8. I think that print sales will continue in slow decline. That said, I see opportunities with newspapers and magazines for proactive newsagents. This is why I will continue to champion the medium.

Ideally I would spend a couple of hours presenting about this at a conference or meeting, teasing out each of these and other points. The notes above are just some of the highlights. I hope they satisfy the interest of people here.

I’d love other newsagents to share here how they are using their iPad in their business.