Responding to newsagent concerns about magazine related cash flow, Express Publications yesterday announced to the newsagency channel that from September 7, 2011 their titles will have four weeks on-sale and be distributed in the first half of the month where possible.
This is a significant move by Express, one I am sure newsagents will welcome. I am pleased they have made the move but am frustrated that it has taken so long.
The other issues for Express Publications to address are the cost to newsagents of returning unsold copies of magazines and the bagging of magazines. These two issues are connected since bagged magazines are heavier and this increases the freight costs newsagents bear in returning unsold stock.
Publishers who want a healthy and engaged newsagency channel will address these issues. We only make money from sales. Everything else is an overhead – hence our desire to rein them in.
It’s a good start. Realistically there is a big opening in the market for a proactive publisher to work with newsagents. While express’s announcement alone won’t get us any closer to retirement it is good to see someone taking initiatives to help the hand that feeds them.
I also applaud express publications for their efforts. However, feedback from the most important level (the consumer) tells me that bagged product sells extremely well when it is coupled with CURRENT publications but old mags recycled just cause angst.
I wonder if Express are listening as did Alf Santomingo from Morrison Media (Frankie etc). I have just read the results of his survey re newsagents and as a newsagent of 33 years’ standing I have to say that his engagement with the newsagents is second to NONE I HAVE SEEN IN ALL THOSE YEARS. His results reflect that he is listening and I hope that other publishers will download the informative survey (put it on again Alf please)and take heed of some of the responses because it wasn’t all negative.
We need to work together to support each other and Morrison Media is setting a great example to other publishers.
Thanks Alf for your
contribution to our
industry.
I will give express a big old thumbs up for there latest move , nothing wrong with small steps .
This decision will reduce my supplementry returns considerably. Thanks for the information.
Good plan, especially to encourage trying new publications if we think the market will be marginal.
Interesting new update from Express Publications (via Network today). I applaud the willingness to change and work with the Newsagency channel to help cash flow issues. But the reduced on sale period only partly assists. I will happily keep their magazines on sale for 4 weeks if supply is reasonable and I can fit their magazines on my shelves. But if oversupply of fat, bagged magazines continues, at least some will still have to come back early. Hopefully the issue of supply numbers will be dealt with in the “new initiative” to be announced soon.