The post on green shoots being experienced by some newsagents has a small group of people in a lather.
The reality is that what transacts under a newsagency shingle has changed dramatically for many in recent years. So mush so for some that the shingle is almost all that remains of the old business.
Online is a big factor for many. In a typical business with a good online presence, online revenue accounts for less than 25% of the revenue generated by a website with 75% being transacted in-store thanks to what people discover from the store’s online site.
What is selling online? Plush, gifts, homewares, books, collectibles, pop culture and plenty more.
This image shows sales data, transaction count and revenue, from online sales achieved by some newsagency businesses. It is a selection mid way through a report of sales for the last year from one of seven different websites for online connected newsXpress businesses.
The numbers are online revenue from this one website, selling one product category, and do not reflect in-store revenue where shoppers use the site to inform in-store purchases they make.
Almost every sale was to someone who had not shopped with the shop before.
My core point here is: what newsagents sell, how they sell, when they sell and to whom they sell has changed and will continue to change. Being online engaged is key. This is one reason I say any newsagent can grow their business – with the right strategies and tools.
The first line of the graph indicates that the average sale is worth $77.71
What product is it?
It is a collectible plush item. Good margin. Note, this is one of seven websites, each pitching different category products.
Jason: This image shows sales data, transaction count and revenue, from online sales achieved by some newsagency businesses. It is a selection mid way through a report of sales for the last year from one of seven different websites for online connected newsXpress businesses.