The double load of magazines newsagents received yesterday raised discussion, again, about unfairness in the magazine destitution model.
Rather than two days of delivery this week, the magazine distributors cut back to one day, a public holiday, and in doing so presented newsagents with more resourcing challenges for managing the load on a day with more than double the labour cost.
The move looks inconsiderate, ignorant and selfish.
Four newsagents I heard from told me their December 2015 magazine bill is equal to or more than December 2014 while their sales year on year are down between 9% and 13%. It does not take much to work out why they are angry.
Our mags will not arrive in store until Wednesday most likely too late for returns.
On the up side, our returns (including early returns) have just been completed. 2 days before the GG and Network returns cut off for the month
Lets see if we get both the normal and supplementary credits for both companies. Based on the past experiences, I doubt it….
Dec 2014 $13461 received at cost – Sales $8034 at retail.
Dec 2015 $14113 received at cost – Sales $7807 at retail (to date)
Wayne right there is the problem. Every magazine publisher and distributor knows sales are falling yet they are expecting you to increase your inventory investment. Nuts.
3 trolleys in 3 trolleys out/returns plus diaries and calendars. it is just wasting time sorting out what we just like to display only.
Off topic but I thought I should put this comment on the blog.
We lost Trevor Sprigg on Boxing Day. Trevor was a shopfitter for newsagents for
40 years in all states (he was based in SA)
All retail newsagencies in SA will remember him and many in other states.
He was a very dear friend of ours for many years and will be missed enormously.
June, I remember Trevor when I started out at John Sands in the mid ’70’s and you’re right, he will be missed by many of us. His stamp is in so many news agencies (including mine) so I guess that is a fitting epitaph.
I was glad to get a double load on Monday. My shelves were low from the week before. I wouldn’t call it a double load as in $ value both weeks were only 60% of a normal load.
Mag sales for me this December are up 1% on last year with arrives inline with last year. This was with 1 days less trade and two less late nights.
I am only 0.5% behind last year YTD, my only issue this month was trying to get more weeklies out of GG even though I upped my allocations at the beginning of November.
Having sold thru a lot of the advanced invoiced NDC stock my combined bill this month is $3k under COGS, and $7k under arrivals, without a GG return this week as I have needed to leave stock on the shelf.