A newsagent I am working with is confronting an above average decline in magazine sales. Working through their data I can see they have been driving some of the sales decline by early returning magazines based on settings in their newsagency software, settings that were too severe and that did not take into account any marketing, free gifts or other activities that could see a spike in sales of some titles.
In more that ten cases recently they have early returned issues of different magazines only to try and reorder because of unexpected demand.
This newsagency they early returned copies of the 100th anniversary issue of Marie Claire, an issue that sold out. This is nuts!
While I understand concerns about the costs of magazine oversupply, going too hard the other way can hurt the business.
Following settings set in newsagency software, some newsagents will early return without considering anything about a specific issue – the free gifts, a new TV campaign, some other social media or a very hot cover that drives sales.
My advice is to not early return the day of on-sale except in genuinely exceptional circumstances and where you have thought about this carefully. Rather, put the product out, give it a crack and take a look at sales toward the end of the month.
This is what a magazine specialist would do.
I urge all newsagents to review your approach in your newsagency software to early returns. If you think your approach is right after the review – good. All I encourage is you think about it and ensure you are not magazine magazines to drive a decline in sales through ill-considered early return settings in your software.
The more newsagents early return and lose certain sales the more likely publishers will pus for their products to be placed in a more diverse, non newsagency, mix of retail businesses.
Just because the software brings up the Early Return screen, you don’t have to return the magazine. It’s a great reminder of poor previous sales – then you have to make a decision. I don’t think it’s a software problem.
I too had the 100th edition of Marie Claire marked for early return, but when we saw the issue we promptly removed it from early returns. Tower software makes this easy to do.
Monitoring early returns in case of examples like Marie Claire or the frizzies in with Total Girl at present will help keep more stock.
Did this 12 yrs ago, thanks to having Tower. Still building magazine sales. No problems with warehouse mergers. Use website to order extra unconventional mags two or three times a week. Exceptions this year with stupid stupid adult colouring book allocations, but easily managed. Thank You Tower.