There are currently 22,200 online searches in Australia every day for stationery. That is not a big number in the overall scheme of things, but it is significant. Newsagents don’t feature much in search results. Here are the top 10 as listed on a commercial search traffic analysis tool.
I have been looking at this and related data recently in my discussions with newsagents about what to sell online. While the answer to that question is different for each business, for many newsagents it starts with a consideration of selling what they stock now, what they know, online. hence, searching the positioning for stationery.
What I take away from the data I have seen is that it is a tough road for a single store to pitch stationery online unless it is in a local or hyper local pitch.
I appreciate that consideration of how to and what to and when to re online is complex and not something easily learned. But today, in June 2020, we all must as online is a key pillar of all retail businesses.
Interesting to see the data on a search for the word stationary. I notice Officeworks must have done some keywords for that spelling. Considering how often I see it misspelled online, even on supplier websites, it could be worth using. What that analysis isn’t showing is the google business listings that can come at the top of the page. This is where a newsagent should focus first, on their google and facebook business pages and even Bing. It may only help locally and mostly for non-city but it’s free and quick to setup. Don’t waste business type or products offered tags on newspapers and lotto products.
good point the spelling.
Newsagency Sales are Stationary or even retarded with Stationery.
Perhaps some opportunity for us in the Kiki, Smiggles, Typo space? I’m not sure we as a channel have as yet found our correct position as the likes of Office Works and the supermarkets continue to eat away at our traditional market.
No, Jason, my post is about natural search results.
With regards to Officeworks it’s their marketing (and of course buying power) along with range that are the major issues for independent stationery retailer. Outside of their budget brands there isn’t a lot of their products that are cheaper than what a newsagent can sell for at 40% or more margin. They just market it better and use a select few products to seem cheaper and use the price match guarantee pitch to allude that all of it is cheaper.
There are opportunities in the personal and social stationery area, except maybe children, Smiggle has it pretty cornered and sourcing competitive products and overcoming the brand loyalty is difficult. Premium journals do well for us both for gift and personal purchases.