Dymocks is pitching two adult colouring titles for $30. As the poster in the photo notes – shoppers can choose from 20 different adult colouring titles.
This discount pitch by Dymocks is unfortunate as to tells shoppers to expect to pay less for these titles than usual full price. It could also be a marker of a downturn in sales of adult colouring titles. Why else would Dymocks make such an offer? Unless it is a spoiler move on their part?
Regardless of the reason for the Dymocks promotion, newsagents need be aware of the move and watch other retailers as their actions will impact on sales in newsagencies.
In the magazine space, magazine publishers and distributors need to be aware as well. It is bad enough being loaded with products from which we make a paltry 25% gross profit (from which to pay rent, labour and other costs) when we have plenty of stock in the same segment from which we make 50% … but now, while magazine supplies are increasing, a major competitor who does not stock magazines, is discounting the better margin product.
I hope people in our supplier business are thinking about these things. Based on current supply, over which newsagents have little or no control, there is little evidence of thinking of newsagents.
Already slowed right down here .
I have had customers in front of me tell other customers where they can down load free colouring in pages. I have had to move all of mine further down the shop as I have no room for them. I have kept one waterfall of different title at the front of shop. I had customers haunting me for supply but sales are slow now.
slow one day, busy the next day. but overall down from nearly $10k a month. it just reminded me of loomband.
I believe we will be selling quite a few of the books and coloured pencils as Christmas presents over the next 2months to continue to keep our sales fairly strong but the signs are evident we have seen the peak has past. We have stocked The Secret Garden & Enchanted Forest for the past 3 years & had steady sales of about 6 to 8 per month before the surge earlier this year. We will probably cut our current range to about a 1/3 or a 1/4 of titles early next year and expect sales to be better than they were before this huge sales growth period & believe it will be a segment worth having as part of of book section