Shopping centre businesses need to go big or go home

Newsagency businesses in shopping centres need to be big, bold and constantly evolving. They cannot be the traditional newsagency business or anything even close to it, not now, not in the future.

Events are one way to differentiate and to compete with big businesses. They are important to attract shoppers from outside and from within the centre, especially in the big centres with 250+ stores.

I have two businesses in this major shopping centre situation, where everyday we fight to bring people in from the traffic in the mall.

Last Saturday, as part of the first ever National Beanie Boo Party, which was organised and run by newsXpress, as an optional marketing event for members, we hosted a party at the Knox store. This short video provides context for what we did in that business on the day to be setup – to achieve a revenue boost of in excess of $1,500 in three hours.

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Now, anticipating questions, read this:

1. While I say this is a newsagency, it is a newsXpress business, focussed on plush, cards, gifts, collectibles first.
2. This plush wall commitment is driving in excess of $100,000 in direct product revenue and not far of that in complimentary basket purchases.
3. The party is an infrequent activity and deal based event designed to attract existing collectors from other retailers and to introduce non-collectors into collecting.
   net new traffic comes from not only the centre but from our significant out of store marketing on social media.
4. Given the way this party was run at this location, there was no additional labour on the day.
5. The video was deliberately shot at a time and in a way to not show those engaging.
6. I’ve had this business for more than five years in this location.
7. This feature wall works well. However, nothing is permanent in retail today, nor should it be.

I’d be happy to answer any other questions here. I can also be best reached on 0418 321 338.

Footnote: I am a shareholder in and director or newsXpress. In my newsagency life at different stages I have been a nextra retailer and shareholder and a newspower member. I have been with newsXpress since 2005.