Imagine the surprise of a newsagent this week when they received additional stock of Modern Wedding Styling magazine when they still had stock on the shelves from the August allocation. There is no sales history to indicate they will get through the initial allocation. So, the newsagent topped the supply this week and early returned it.
The newsagent has lost time and money on unwarranted allocation. The publisher has copped the cost of shipping out the stock that was topped this week. They will probably cop a return fee and maybe a topping fee.
The distributor could have saved the publisher and newsagent costs had they used the data they have from this newsagent and not sent the extra stock in the first case.
What happened in this situation could be considered to be a poor allocations, poor management or deliberately actions to generate fees for the magazine distributor.
It’s say it’s not a poor system as that’s an excuse Network has used for decades.
It’s say it’s not poor management because network has had plenty of time to address that.
I think the supply reflects a commercial decision to apply and this is what I’d label unethical. Whoever participated in or facilitated this situation ought to be ashamed of themselves.
This is another example that makes a mockery of the pressure newsagents are put under by XchangeIT for data accuracy. There is no evidence of magazine distributors being put under similar pressure.
Also got extras. Stupid move, it just highlighted to me that the original ones weren’t selling so early returned extras plus some of the first allocation,
This happens a lot with wedding magazines.
Just got an email advising of 1 x copy
of SBR for OK magazine.
Given that this is a weekly mag and also
given that we only get deliveries on M and Th it seems incongruous to me that 1 x copy of anything would be helpful to anybody.
To add insult to injury I still have 4 x copies on the shelf.
I think delayed billing is just as bad. I am sick of stock sitting around that I know I will not sell but can’t return it. I also advised I did not want any. Got 2 boxes and have sold none even though we have had them on the counter.
Trailzone mag from G&G, I have never sold a copy, started at 2 copies then 3 then 5 now 7. After using ALT T I hope its now zero. Stock received from NDC and EMG is now getting out of hand with so many look alike titles in the 4WD Action group and the Caravan and motorhome titles . Am starting to think it might be cheaper to cut the lot and only keep things that sell.