Hey magazine publishers, are you happy with this display of magazines that I saw in a supermarket at the weekend?
Even if fully stocked this display would look scruffy with the covers hard to read. The display does nothing to support the products in a way that I’d call respectful of the product. There is a problem with the design.
The continued poor management of magazine supply to the newsagency channel risks more displays like this in supermarkets as unfair paternalistic behaviour encourages newsagents to further reduce their commitment to what should be an important channel for newsagents.
Magazine publishers and their distributors can affect change in the decisions newsagents make about magazines. That they are not doing this makes me wonder if they do want the supermarket share of magazine sales to increase.
The photo was taken in a mid-size regional supermarket. While it is not representative of what you see in major city and suburban supermarkets, it does reflect a magazine model a particular group has settled on for their model.
Not sure if it still happens, but remember when you were required to complete a retailing course (I think run by VANA) to qualify for a Network Services direct account. Obviously any of those standards are out the window.
We have a national fuel chain as one of our subs, their stand is exactly the same poor design. They (the site manager)wants me to continually swap out bent/folded stock for fresh stock, which I will not do. He refuses to accept that it is the design of the stand causing the issue.
Speaking about magazine publishers.
I have just had my direct supply of magazines to Coles Xpress taken off me by Bauer Media all because Coles want 5 times the number of product on the shelves at the store than what NDC will allow us to provide, giving them what would be a 700% return rate each week.
Try telling NDC that when they cut us back heavily when we return heavy stock levels.
Bauer Media are a Law unto themselves and do not care about Newsagents sell through service to Sub Retailers.
This is unfair practices by Bauer Media.