I am in Auckland looking at retail and noticed a massive 4-day sale at Whitcoulls – just about the closest they have here to an Australian newsagency.
There were all sorts of deals. With cards it was buy 1 and get one at half price. What was odd was how they promoted it – with small signs stuck in card pockets. It made the display look untidy but that could have been the point. The signs are certainly easy to notice.
How do they sell magazines and newspapers if they dont have newsagencies?
Do the card sellers just sell cards? Gifts??
Is this the model that Aus is gong to end up with?
Whitcoulls have a tiny magazine department with 500 or so titles. Paper Plus a similar volume. However, magazines are less available in NZ than Australia.
Wally, the supermarket duopoly in NZ have far larger magazine departments than in Oz. Same with petrol stations. The Shell outlet near where I lived had more magazines than the supermarket I currently compete with.
When I wanted a magazine I would usually get it along with my groceries as Whitcoulls and Paper Plus only operate in Malls/CBD. I would buy my newspaper from the local servo.
Sadly, we are heading that way and I envisage a time when my business will be about gifts, cards and novelties.