Customers are not happy with the bumper editions strategy of Fairfax. One customer said – what do they care, the paper will be dead in a couple of years. While we would have heard some frustration a few years ago, we would not have heard as much as we are hearing now. Overall, customers are not happy about the bumper editions in my experience.
Yet again Fairfax shooting themselves in the foot. When they see declining sales they blame the internet but it actually decisions like this that cause the declines
Spot on Mark. I had reasonable sales of the SMH yesterday but a lot where pissed off with the extra charge and a lot confused, what is the bumper edition trying to achieve. A lot said they will not need the SMH today as they already have all the inserts they get in the saturday edition. Today sales will be interesting.
Negative commentary from most of my SMH customers about this as it is for every one of these “bumper editions”. The only thing bumper about it is the price which is desireable for Fairfax but counterproductive for sales.
The old adage about only 10% of your customers verbally complaining whilst the other silent majority are pi$$ed off at Fairfax applies here. A bad commercial move in my view but what would we know?
EVERY year they pull the same money grabbing stunt, and it is counter productive as customer detest it. We cannot and will not defend this sales approach and can only agree with our customers. Poor business practice by Fairfax.
Yeah, they whinge but nowhere near as much they could. To receive the same paper 2 days in a row, and pay as much for the second edition as you do for the first is just a blatant rip off. I am amazed, totally amazed, that the consumer protection authorities haven’t looked into this one. It is truly, deeply deceitful.
What are the general sell through figures on these ‘bumper editions’ ?
I’d suggest most sell out despite the public agro.
Yes – No ?
sold out here
For us Lance in the store with supply challenges we sell out. In others, where we are less challenged for supply, no.
Did not sell as many SMH as usual for a saturday.
Dumb question but can anyone explain why they do this bumper edition. Long long ago when Sat Herald was massive we would deliver some spectrum on the Friday and the rest on Saturday, but now just a the weekend paper out for two days. I just don’t get it.
As for sales though, no complaints.
As with every past year where this has been tried, sales for Friday were lower (due to price) and sales for Saturday were also lower, I think because those who DID buy Friday decided that Saturday would be a waste of money if only the news was updated. I don’t know what research they use to make these choices, but it my experience, it has never paid off.
Slightly off topic…..Woman`s Day & New Idea double issue….a hell of a LOT of confused shoppers today….as if we werent busy enough.
Yep and top that off with the early take 5 and thats life and all the oldies don’t know what is going on
Daily Telegraph to rise to $1.20 next week
Miles where did you see Daily Telegraph going to $1.20 next week. News Circulation seems not to know about it.
Actually I think Miles refers to the new format of The Age. They’re going to dump the SMH masthead and reposition The Age as a direct competitor of the News Ltd dailies in both Sydney and Melbourne markets. $1.20 sounds right because lower quality journalism will lead to higher advertising revenues.
Ricky SMH have already announced a price increase to $2 mon – fri and $3 sat from next monday. Do not think they would drop the price with the change of format in april? But you never know.
Yep just been told unoffically there is a price increase for the Telegraph coming soon.
just been told OFFICIALLY by fax.
Obviously (according to what Gregg said earlier today) Circulation have no idea what the rest of News Ltd are doing…no surprises there
Thanks a lot Fairfax for totally ignoring my request for more papers. I have now nearly sold out and do not open the doors for another 40 minutes. Brilliant decision on your part.
Told you so Fairfax. Now sold out.