Author: Mark Fletcher

We really need to sort out this T3 problem. Here are the covers of the two issues we have on the shelves at the moment: the issue on the left is the Australian edition and is dated August 2007 and on the right is the UK edition and it is dated July 2007.

Having different issues of what is, for the most part, the same magazine on the shelves at the same time is nuts so we will cancel the UK edition – but this should not happen in the first place. I wish commonsense would prevail – it happens with more titles than just T3.

It is VTAC Guide (a book listing tertiary courses) season in Victoria so we are using part of the dance floor to promote them.

Past experience tells us that we have a few days to move the bulk of the stock before sales slow to a dribble – history shows that between 75% and 80% of all stock is sold in the first week and the remainder over the next three months.

With something like the VTAC guide there is no point in being all that pretty – hence the trestle table stuck in this high traffic area. This approach gives the feeling of urgency and hence serves our goal this year to sell 200 to 300 within a week.

We have a display of stationery next to the VTAC Guide to attract add-on sales from people driven to us for the guide.

I’ve written here before about the frustration of some magazine freebies which are poorly stuck on covers and do more harm than good – the Boost Bar with Alpha ladst month was like this, falling off everywhere.

The free Bueno chocolate being given away this week with New Idea and Famous in some newsagencies is a well executed offer.

By providing the chocolate separate to the magazines makes for neater shelves. It also allows us to get the thanks when we give the customers the chocolate bar – this is a nice bonus.

Handing the chocolate personally certainly adds value to the gift and provides an opportunity for the customer to connect the gift more with the newsagency than if it were just stuck on. Everyone likes to feel special and this promotion works in with that.

New Idea is strong this week in stores I have seen thanks to its Diana series. The same is true of the Australian Women’s Weekly with its stunning Diana souvenir – I’d be surprised if it is not a sell out.

The extra traffic generated as a result is providing us with an opportunity to push the magazine club card and remind customers of our exclusive loyalty proposition.

I would be shocked if the August issue of the Australian Women’s Weekly (out yesterday) is not a sell out. It is one of the classiest magazines I have ever seen. The cover is sensational and the free DVD attached of Diana is excellent value.

Congratulations to everyone at ACP Magazines involved.

This issue has been on sale for one day and early indications are that it is a winner. We are supporting it with a feature display in store, a front of shop display and our usual waterfall display in our women’s magazine area. We saw it as key to go hard and go early with this.

While there have been plenty of Diana covers over the years, the quality of the AWW production and that it stands out visually from the usually noisy newsagent magazine shelves make this the tribute to collect.

Newsagents have received a letter from Horwitz Publications and Network Services committing to allocate quantities of Horwitz titles to ensure that supplies closely match expected sales. If this happens newsagents will cheer as it reflects a more appropriately tuned supply model – I expect supply to be on the basis of a target sell through rate of 70% or higher for anything less would not provide the return I am looking for.

Now if only all publishers and distributors would agree to such arrangements. It would be good for the environment.