Amazon Kindle success
Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO, is reported as saying that 6% of titles sold by Amazon.com are for its Kindle e-book reader. That is a significant shift from print in the short time Kindle has been out.
New Borders concept store
Joe Wickert has published a review of the new Borders concept store in Indiana. What sounds interesting about the model is their use of technology kiosks for to sell music and other products.
Bake burns newsagents
More fool us I guess. We took on the Bake cookbook published under the Australian Women’s Weekly brand. We knew the majors would have it but did not expect Big W to sell it at 50% off. Yes, more fool us I guess. The folks at ACP would know the deal done with Big W when offering this title to newsagents. Rather than us looking expensive, again (and as usual) we could have been given a deal to allow us to compete or have been warned off. rather than looking expensive, Bake in our newsagency is now a true loss leader.
Gems in the book sale
We continue to find gems in the book sale we’re running, like The First World War by Hew Strachan. Heading toward Anzac Day it’s a popular gift – ten copies in a couple of days. We can’t claim all the credit since we don’t control the titles in the mix. However, we have been smart enough to feature display titles which are relevant.
Beating Big W on price
We were pretty excited to discover that one of the books in our book sale is in the latest Big W catalogue and that we beat their we sell for less price. Our price is 19% lower than Big W – and we still making a good margin. Sure it’s only one product – the feeling is good in this small business. We will bask for a moment. The photo is from the Big W catalogue.
Double or Nothing book free
Harper Collins is providing free access to the full manuscript of Double or Nothing, the true story of two friends who bought a Las Vegas casino. This is a bold move for a publisher, one I’m surprised to see from a mainstream publisher. Good on them!
Anyone can read them manuscript free at the Harper Collins website using their Browse Inside service. It’s a great way to promote a book.
Tag team marketing
A couple of days after our Ink promotion ended our book sale started. Like the ink promotion, the book sale was promoted through flyers delivered to homes around our shopping centre – for all three of our newsagencies. Daily revenue from the book sale is between $400.00 and $750.00. This is a huge success. We are also tracking growth i other product categories – from the new traffic pulled as a result of the sale and the good vibe in-store as a result of the deals on the book tables.
On the ink promotion – it’s been over two weeks now and the drop off is sales is barely measurable.
Newsagents should bid for Borders
The news out of the UK for Borders is not good. The Telegraph and others are reporting that the whole business is for sale and not just selected parts.
A week back we learned that the A&R Whitcoulls bid had been withdrawn for the Australian and New Zealand operations of Borders.
While it would never get up, newsagents should consider making the leap and buying Borders’ Australian business. It’s think kind of bold completely out of left field move which will provide channel wide focus. It would unlock better commercial terms for books for newsagents as well as give newsagents a stake in a major national chain. Totally crazy! Doomed to fail! But, what if…
Am I serious? No, well, sort of. many newsagents need to leap (be pushed or dragged) out of a small business victim mindset. They a bold mission, a new mission which makes them part of something much bigger. This is why the Borders opportunity is interesting. It’s something we would never do and cold never pull off. It’s exactly the kind of mission newsagents need to actively consider.
Of course, for this to even be considered, newsagents need to act as a cohesive channel of entrepreneurs who will pursue business opportunities with missionary zeal. They need to want a profitable future.
The Easter book sale
I am told that Easter is one of the best times of the year to sell books. Judging by the first two days of our book sale I’m inclined to agree. Even before the brochures have been distributed sales are strong – over $300 for the first half day.
Our plan is to run the sale for up to three weeks in the middle of the dance floor and the photo shows. These things work best there is nothing else too close pulling visual focus.
Books are a good fit for newsagencies. Some do them well all the time with new releases and top selling titles. Others, like us, do well in the remainder space. Most newsagents, however, don;t play in the space. For them, it’s a missed opportunity because the the right range, targeted with your demographic can be very profitable.
Biggest Loser cookbook out now
The Biggest Loser cookbook has arrived in time for the start of the new TV series on Network Ten so we’re featuring it at the counter.
While I am unhappy that we are not making traditional bookseller margin on this title, my goal is to sell the stock I have while interest is high and before payment is due on the stock.
Titles like this are a challenge for newsagents. They have a high price point, are challenging to locate and often do not receive the customer respect when placed in with magazines. hence our decision to feature it at the counter and try and move the stock quickly.
Book sale great for Father’s Day
Our book sale is surpassing all expectations. $1,000 a day in sales from retail space which is not costing anything and in a mall where half retail space is closed due to major refurbishment and where the entrance next to our business is an obstacle course due to external works. For us, the book sale we are running is saving Father’s Day.
What is driving this sale is the brochures. They are generating more calls and foot traffic than almost any other recent promotion. Brilliant!
Giant book sale
We re-launched into books last week based on a four page A6 flyer – sent to 15,000 homes around our centre. Our supplier overprinted the brochure with our details – always helpful in driving traffic back to your particular store. While we have played in the book space previously, this is the first time we have supported the category with a concerted campaign outside our shop.
We are supporting the catalogue with considerable stock displayed in front of our newsagency (see the photo below). While the flyer and range is Father’s Day themed, all categories are selling well – far better than expected.
What’s also interesting is that the sale is drawing people into the shop who would otherwise have passed us by. I especially like the browsing, and business, immediately prior to Australia Post opening each morning.
We’re not in books at this level for the long haul – I see it as something to run three or four times a year with a smaller range in store in between. The folks at Australian Book Wholesalers have been very helpful.
Sudoku for Dummies, newsagency edition
My initial reaction upon seeing Sudoku for Dummies was that newsagents cannot compete on price with bookshops. Then the text, Australian Newsagency Edition, was pointed out to me.
Having a Newsagency Edition allows us to promote this as an exclusive title. It also stops price comparison.
Newsagents ought to actively promote their exclusivity with this book. We have the title in a good position next to our range of sudoku titles.