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crosswords

Hey magazine publishers here’s how to use social media to pitch retailers, preferably newsagents

British publishers appear to be more engaged in marketing that pitches retailers than their Aussie counterparts.

Are media and Lovatts are the two biggest Aussie crossword publishers and they each offer cash prizes. This ad above is something they could easily do if they wanted to drive retail sales.

There are many Aussie craft titles for which I can’t see any pitches like the one above.

I can’t figure out why Aussie magazine publishers are so disinterested in newsagents.

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crosswords

Here’s what we did to increase crossword sales by 29% in the last month

Our crossword sales in the newsagency are up by 29% to $3,343.00, or 308 in unit sales.

There are 2 things we have done that, I think, have helped drive this:

  • Pitching key titles next to newspapers while still carrying them in the crossword section.
  • Pitching crossword titles on social media, Facebook mainly.
  • Relaying crosswords to improve the shopper experience. This took all of 5 minutes.

Yes, I am disappointed that we continue to only make 25% GP and that cover price movement has been minimal, not keeping up with inflation. That said, the growth from a small effort is terrific.

I can’t be sure as to why we are seeing this growth in crossword sales. If it is wider than our newsagency then I suspect it is related to the economy or how people feel about the economy at least. If it’s just us then what we have done has to be key here. I do think our small but targeted actions have played a key role.

Overall magazine sales are up 6% year on year, making the 29% growth for crossword titles worth consideration.

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Crosswords the powerhouse magazine segment in Aussie newsagencies

Looking deeper at the November 2021 sales data compared to 2019 for the newsagency businesses in the benchmark mix I wrote about last week … crosswords is a powerhouse segment in newsagencies.

While sales of women’s weeklies (New Idea, Woman’s Day etc) is far greater, crosswords account for, on average, 8.5% of all magazines sold. This is significant with most of these sales being for titles that are only in newsagencies.

Crossword shoppers are loyal, more likely to return to you if they know you stock the niche titles in which they are interested.

Crossword shoppers are more valuable. Our of all the magazine shoppers, they are more likely to buy cards, a high margin category and more likely to buy jigsaws, another good margin category.

Crossword shoppers respond to loyalty offers. Whether it’s an amount off based on purchase value or a future benefit from today’s purchases, they engage with loyalty programs and therefore are stickier to the business.

Crossword shoppers dwell. Dwell time increases shopper visit value in a well laid-out shop.

Crossword shoppers stick together. They talk, share their love of the puzzle and this word of mouth can help you find more shoppers.

The performance of crossword titles is better than most other magazine segments. This also makes it valuable.

While the paltry margin from crosswords is frustrating, it’s a product segment we can leverage and from which we can drive value by being engaged retailers and following the opportunities revealed in data.

I recommend having crosswords in two places within magazines, their traditional home and in a column next to weeklies. I’d also post about crosswords on social media as different titles speak to different co-horts of value: large print, cryptic and word circle are good examples of these. Talk about them as a good gift for young and old.

One of the best things you could try is a crossword lover club that meets up at your newsagency. I suspect they’d love this to meet fellow puzzlers and to be seen, it shows that you as a specialist retailer see their interest and respect it.

Crosswords are valuable in the newsagency. Take a look at your range and consider working with the distributor to expand it. Growth in crosswords will deliver growth elsewhere in the business.

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Crossword sales benchmark opportunity for local small business newsagents

Crossword magazine unit sales should be at least 5% of your magazine sales in any newsagency. It’s a reasonable benchmark to target.

I say this based on data from hundreds of newsagencies: city, country, high street, shopping centre.

While there are plenty where crossword unit sales are 8% and more of all magazine unit sales, equally there are plenty at 3% or less.

Based on everything I have seen, 5% is a reasonable benchmark that anyone can attain. Businesses I have worked with have been able to list crossword sales by:

  • Installing a single column of good titles next to women’s weeklies.
  • Featuring a crossword at the counter.
  • Placing one or two crossword titles with newspapers.
  • Where possible, full face displaying crossword titles.
  • Relaying the crossword section to tell a better story.
  • Reviewing your range and expanding to serve more shoppers.
  • Mentioning crosswords from time to time on social media.

Of all the magazine segments, crosswords responds well to some love from the business. This has been the case for decades.

Check our your percentage and if you’re above 5% well done. If you’re below, take some easy steps and expect to see the segment respond positively.

Now, if you think why bother? because of the paltry margin or some other reason, I’d note for you that crosswords are the most broadly efficient magazine category in a newsagency. By efficient, I mean their value beyond the sales of the titles.

  • Crossword buyers are more likely to have other products in their basket. Products like jigsaws, cards, stationery and craft products regularly feature in baskets with crossword magazines.
  • Crossword customers are more loyal, returning for their next fix, often because you have range. This loyalty is something a smart retailer can leverage into purchases from other product categories.
  • Careful placement on the shelves can easily result in purchases of more than one title from a sub-category in a basket.
  • Crossword lovers talk to each other, they are a good word of mouth army.
  • Crossword customers love words and tend to love books, too.

While there are problems with the magazine distribution model and it is difficult for newsagents to actively manage range, the crossword segment provides an opportunity for benefits beyond the sale of crosswords themselves. We have an opportunity to engage and achieve greater value for our businesses, despite the magazine supply arrangement impediments.

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Crosswords: the one magazine category you can count on

Crossword magazine sales continue to be strong in newsagencies. They grew last year through the early months of Covid and have performed well since.

The keys to success are range of types and titles, grouped location in the magazine department, plenty of full-face displays and customer service.

Crosswords are efficient in that crossword shoppers are more likely to purchase other items – they have a more efficient basket for the business.

Crossword shoppers are more likely to purchase jigsaws, pens and craft products. I say this based on newsagency shopping basket analysis. Plus, crossword shoppers actively encourage others to join them in their passion for crosswords.

My advice to newsagents is to check in with what you are doing re crosswords, look for an opportunity to do more, do better. The response typically will be a boost in sales, which we’d all like. Oh, and by more I mean: a refreshed display, co-location at the counter of some titles, pitching on social media, being active with what is placed next to crosswords and rewarding loyalty as the crossword shopper is likely to be your most loyal magazine shopper.

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crosswords

Crossword titles remain the hero magazine category

Looking deeper into the newsagency sales benchmark data, in almost every store I have data for, crossword titles are in growth. In plenty of newsagencies, crosswords is the only magazine category In growth.

What’s interesting is that this continues excellent interest in crosswords fits with continued strong sales for jigsaws, diamond dots art, adult colouring, 3D puzzles and other maker kits. Put all these together and you have a wonderful story.

Indeed, I’ve seen regional businesses achieving between $1,500 and $5,00 a month, yes, I did type $5,000, in sales from crosswords / jigsaws / maker kits with the combined sales of these beating other product categories / segments.

This is an excellent example of a good news story for our channel this year. Good growth and, for most products in the segment, good margin. Maker kits, for example, can earn 65% GP.

Crosswords are the indicator category. See strong sales for them and you have a pathway forward for leveraging that traffic and attracting people crossword folks talk to about similar interest product. This is a great way to grow the business with no marketing spend.

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Crosswords the hero magazine category in Aussie newsagencies in corona impacted 2020

Crossword magazine sales continue to surge in newsagencies, more so than any other magazine category.

Crossword unit sales are up around 60% year on year and are tracking at around 8% of magazine revenue, up from what has been usual.

Since other magazine retailers offer nowhere near the range of crossword titles found in newsagencies, this is good news for our channel.

Plenty of newsagents are leveraging the opportunity by ensuring crossword titles are in the best location and always kept fresh. This makes sense.

Based oil what I see in jigsaw, craft and related product sales, I suspect crosswords will continue to be strong for months to come. Certainly, that’s what I’ve factored into our own space allocation and promotion plans. And, yes, we are promoting crosswords outside the business as they work as a traffic generator.

Now, before anyone comments, I’m not happy with them paltry margin, not happy at all. However, I’ll take the traffic the category generates for now.

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The joy of jigsaws and the opportunity for newsagents

Nine newspapers ran an opinion piece, The joy of jigsaws, and why you should start them in your 20s, Tuesday. It was a terrific read.

Regulars here would know that I think jigsaws are a good fit for evolving newsagency businesses. Some may recall that newsxpress has been running a successful January is jigsaw month promotion for five years now. It continues to run because it is commercially successful.

The Nine opinion piece reinforces the health value of jigsaws.

Jigsaws can be effective stress relievers (assuming there are no pieces missing) but the range of health benefits to be gleaned from tackling the tiles can be far wider. The simple genius of the jigsaw is that it works both sides of the brain, analytical and creative, and also stimulates the production of both acetylcholine, crucial when you need to pay attention, and dopamine, the chemical that plays a key part not just in memory but the sense of feeling rewarded, too.

As you move into your 40s, the number of neurotransmitters in the brain begins to decline and while that doesn’t really alter the brain’s storage capacity, it does affect our ability to retrieve and process information.

This makes them a good gift a good purchase for oneself and a good product to have open for in-store engagement and use.

What I like about jigsaws is their efficiency as a product. What I mean by efficiency is…

  • Jigsaws can be purchased by shoppers for multiple reasons.
  • Jigsaws appeal across multiple age groups.
  • Jigsaws appeal across cultures.
  • Jigsaws are easily pitched on social media.
  • Jigsaws work as an in-store engagement opportunity.
  • Jigsaws offer good margin.

There are few product categories that are as diverse in their appeal as jigsaws. It’s why I have a permanent department of jigsaws in my shops and why they are regularly promoted front of store as well as on social media. They are an all year round gift opportunity, delivering a good return on space, labour and inventory investment.

From a newsXpress perspective, members are provided detailed strategic information they can use to successfully engage with the category. One insight from this that I will share here is – crossword shoppers are more likely to buy jigsaws and the crossword magazine segment is a key piece of good news in magazine sales based on the latest benchmark data.

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Tips for driving crossword sales in the newsagency

The crossword segment of magazines continues to perform well in retail newsagencies. I see plenty of businesses reporting growth and those reporting decline report a lower decline for crosswords.

Crosswords respond well to in-store engagement and promotion. For a small investment of time, you can expect a lift in sales of crossword titles. Here is my current list of top engagement opportunities for a retailer with crosswords:

  1. If you have a table where shoppers can sit for a while, open a crossword and placing some pens nearby so people can engage and complete a crossword together.
  2. If you don’t have a table, set one up as this is an easy way to boost sales.
  3. Move the entire crossword segment next to weeklies. Every time we have seen this done there is a terrific sales jump.
  4. Also place crossword titles with their parent brand: Better Homes and Gardens and Australian Women’s Weekly, for example. This could be done as co-location – in addition to regular placement. I say also as this should be a secondary placement.
  5. Call out a crossword title as a staff member fave and note why with a small sign in front. This type of personal recommendation works well in book retailing.
  6. In front of top selling weeklies, place a plastic or acrylic pocket with A5 titles from the same brand as both titles are bought by the same shopper.
  7. Pitch a crossword or two at the counter.
  8. Consider a crossword themed window.
  9. Consider a crossword lovers event. It could be a simple afternoon team with the idea of them meeting each other and sharing stories. Your focus could be to thank them for their love of crosswords.
  10. Trial placing your most popular two crosswords next to daily newspapers. Count how many you place so that you can measure the success.
  11. Run a loyalty program for magazines. Crossword shoppers will appreciate this and drive more whole of business shopping as a result.
  12. Shine a light on your range on social media – let locals know that your business is the local destination from crosswords.

I get that some reading this will say we only get 25%, why bother. I agree the margin is disrespectful. However, crossword shoppers purchase out of habit. That makes them valuable to us beyond the crossword purchase.

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Advice on how you could grow crossword sales in your newsagency

Crossword sales are strong in Australia. The segment is performing well, delivering year on year growth for many newsagency businesses. It is the magazine segment that offers the best opportunity for growth based on my experience in-store and broader channel data analysis.

The crossword category is the easiest category in which to grow sales. Here are some ideas with which you can engage to achieve this.

  1. Move the entire crossword segment next to weeklies. Every time I have seen this done there is a measurable sales jump.
  2. Place crossword titles with their parent brand: Better Homes and Gardens and Australian Women’s Weekly, for example. This could be done as co-location – in addition to regular placement.
  3. Call out a crossword title as a staff member fave and note why with a small sign in front. This type of personal recommendation works well in book retailing.
  4. In front of Take 5 and That’s Life, place a plastic or acrylic pocket with A5 titles from the same brand as both titles are bought by the same shopper.
  5. Pitch a crossword or two at the counter.
  6. Pitch crosswords with jigsaws – they are often the same shopper.
  7. Consider a crossword themed front window.
  8. Consider a crossword lovers event. It could be a simple afternoon team with the idea of them meeting each other and sharing stories. Your focus could be to thank them for their love of crosswords.
  9. Trial placing your most popular two crosswords next to daily newspapers. Count how many you place so that you can measure the success.
  10. Run a loyalty program for magazines. Crossword shoppers will appreciate this and drive more whole of business shopping as a result.
  11. If you have a table where shoppers can sit for a while, consider opening a crossword and placing some pens nearby so people can engage.
  12. Shine a light on your range on social media – let locals know that your business is the local destination from crosswords.

Why do this given that you only make 25% from crossword titles? Because crossword shoppers are loyal. The better you serve them and the more you appreciate them the more return business you will achieve.

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crosswords

The magazine category newsagents can easily grow

The crossword category continues to perform well in newsagencies. Better still, it is a category that responds well to in-store attention. I say this based on my experience and on the experience of newsagents I have recently spoken with.

In one store achieving 4% year on year growth, they boosted that to 8% by changing the location of crossword titles to be next to weekly magazines, using the crossword titles from pacific Magazines and Bauer as the starting point given their connection to some of the weekly titles.

My feeling is crossword shoppers are more likely to be loyal. This is in part due to non newsagency competitors not having the range we have in newsagency businesses. Also, offering a cutaway service helps ensure this stickiness.

Crossword shoppers also shop outside the category. They will buy cards, jigsaws, games and more.

No matter the performance of crosswords in your newsagency today, look over this list of suggested engagement with the category. Each is easy to implement and has no cost. There is no downside to investing a small amount of time in driving crossword sales.

Move the location of crosswords in the magazine department. My suggestion is next to the weeklies. If there is not enough room for all, at least in produce a column of crosswords.

  1. Place crossword titles with their parent brand: Better Homes and Gardens and Australian Women’s Weekly, for example.
  2. Pitch a crossword or two at the counter.
  3. Trial placing your most popular two crosswords next to daily newspapers. Count how many you place so that you can measure the success.
  4. Run a loyalty program for magazines. Crossword shoppers will appreciate this and drive more whole of business shopping as a result.
  5. If you have a table where shoppers can sit for a while, consider opening a crossword and placing some pens nearby so people can engage.
  6. Shine a light on your range on social media – let locals know that your business is the local destination from crosswords.

In my experience, a small investment in crosswords pays off in sales growth. Given the loyalty of the crossword shopper, this growth is valuable for more of the business.

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Smart placement of puzzles and pens

Check out this placement of a small format puzzle book and pens at a news outlet at Sydney airport. This is situated with fashion titles, close to the front. Where retail space is expensive, it pays to be smart and maximise every shopping visit opportunity.

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Stunning puzzle magazine section

Check out the stunning puzzle magazine section I saw at a news and magazine outlet at Copenhagen airport. I like their use of the front of the fixture from the front to the corner to the side, the placement of pens and pencils, the value offer and the shopability of the display. Every centimetre of space is used deliberately and effectively.

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Interesting puzzle title

The folks at Lovatts have launched, with little fanfare, a new puzzle title, Audrey Daybook. We have placed it with fashion as well as crossword titles. Plus, we have written about it on social media, to explain with it is.

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International Sudoku Day opportunity

The Group International Circulation & Trade Marketing Manager at Puzzler in the UK let me know yesterday that this coming Saturday, September 9, is International Sudoku Day.

This is an opportunity for newsagents who would like to engage and pitch their range of sudoku titles. Here is their note to me. I encourage newsagents to read it and consider engaging with the opportunity.

I have followed your Newagency blog for a number of years while working in the NZ, Australian and now UK magazine markets. The information you share across your channels I find can be useful for retailers, distributors and publishers alike – so thank you for the variety!

The article you wrote on the 30th August regarding the placement of crossword and puzzle titles in news agencies got me thinking, and while I’m not sure whether this one is up your alley, I thought I’d share it with you on the off chance.

This Saturday, the 9th September, is International Sudoku Day.

Launched by the World Puzzle Federation in 2013, September 9th is a day each year where we celebrate the Sudoku puzzle.

This date (9/9) is symbolic within Sudoku and was chosen to reflect the 9×9 grid pattern found within each puzzle.

Attached, you’ll find some artwork we’ve done up to help promote International Sudoku Day in the Australian market. Perhaps there would be an opportunity for you to share this with your fellow newsagents?

Please let me know if there is anything further I can provide you with to help mark this great opportunity to boost the sales of Sudoku titles in Australia!

Here is the poster art provided. I plan to use it on Facebook. You can right click on the image to download the full size version.

Remember, the crossword / puzzle category remains strong with magazines, delivering year on year results in Australian newsagencies ahead of most other magazine categories.

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Promoting crosswords in the newsagency

Crosswords continue to be one of the most valuable magazine categories in newsagencies. On average, they account for between 6% and 8% of magazine revenue. In the latest benchmark study, crossword unit sales are up, ahead of most other categories.

This is an important category for newsagency businesses. It is one where you can beat every other magazine retail channel. My advice is you place it at the front of the magazine department.

Here is the crossword section in one of my stores. While the location gets moved as we tweak magazine locations, the space allocation is consistent.

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Crossword title range declining at US transit locations

The range of crossword titles I am seeing at US transit locations this year is down on last year and considerably down on two years ago. It is as if a tap has been wound back. Whereas previously there would have been twenty to thirty titles in good locations, now there are a few titles at the bottom of a magazine unit, looking neglected:

I am not sure if we can safely ready anything into this as the US magazine route to market is completely different to ours. However, there has been a considerable decline in transit where category representation was consistent for ages.

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The no-brainer move to reap more Puzzler Go sales

We started placing a pocket of That’s Life Puzzler Go with That’s Life years ago. We continue with this today as this second location works a treat. Whereas destination shoppers purchase the title from our crossword section, this pocket wins impulse purchases.

I pulse purchases of magazines are the icing on the cake for magazine sales.

I get it that there are magazine retailers who think they should not do anything extra for tiny margin product like magazines. The thing is, an impulse purchase deepens the basket, it makes the shopping visit more valuable, more efficient.

I am happy to make any tactical move that can drive basket efficiency where the move does not have a significant labour or other cost. This move with That’s Life Puzzler Go works a treat.

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Moving crossword magazines in the newsagency

IMG_9133We relocated crossword magazines in the newsagency last week from the end of our fill-face magazine area to this placement between two sections of male-oriented titles, a section seen by almost everyone entering our main magazine aisle. The move will have the crossword section seen by more people and this should further list sales from the good numbers we already have.

Crossword title sales account for 6.5% of all of our magazine sales.

Changes like this in the magazine department are crucial to maintaining a fresh offer. I don’t care about the odd customer complaint about moving sections.

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Pitching the Candy Crush magazine

IMG_8713We are promoting the Candy Crush puzzle magazine from Puzzler with our weekly magazines rather than in the puzzle section as people will not be looking for the title as it is new to us. It does look like a puzzle title people who do not regularly purchase puzzle titles might consider.

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We ought to support Cryptic Crosswords and other Puzzle People titles

20160319_071355I love the note from the editor of Cryptic Crosswords. It explains that while they have withdrawn from subscriptions, the title is still available in newsagents.

We ought to support Cryptic Crosswords and other titles from Puzzle People. This is a local Victorian published magazine that helps us pitch a point of difference to other magazine retailers.

The editor is supporting the newsagency channel. We should support them.

Go and grab copies of the latest issue:

  • Place it between your two top selling weekly magazines.
  • Place it on the counter as a featured magazine.
  • Talk about it on your business Facebook page – mention it is an Aussie title. Posts like this can add to the narrative that yours is a local business supporting local (Aussie) publishers.
  • Remind staff to recommend it if people ask for a crossword title.
  • Thank the editor for their support: info@puzzlepeople.com.au.
  • If you don’t stock the title, request it from Gotch.

Let’s get behind this magazine and help it enjoy a bright future and through it promote a difference between our businesses and other magazine retailers.

This is an opportunity for us to do good for us and another independent small Australian business.

Take a moment to check out their website to understand their pitch: All first-time publications Products of our compilers’ minds. They are NOT computer produced! Founded in 1989, at a time when imported puzzles dominated the local market, Puzzle People identified the need for a high-quality, locally compiled product, published on a regular and reliable schedule.

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Are you leveraging the Star Wars themed Colossus Crosswords?

IMG_4913The Star Wars themed Colossus Crosswords from Lovatts is a title you could place with Star Wars related product in-store. This single and simple move could be enough to get more people considering the title than if you leave it with all your other crossword titles – that are only browsed and considered by people wanting a crossword title.

It is action newsagents will take if they want to grow magazine sales.

We have to do this, we have to look at title covers and ask ourselves what we can do to get this issue noticed. Such consideration is beyond the masthead. It is about this cover itself.

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Promoting magazines as Christmas gifts in the newsagency

Screen Shot 2015-12-16 at 6.54.30 amI have been asked to post on this blog more examples of how I use Facebook to promote the newsagency, especially everyday items like magazines that other retailers sell.

Here is a post I have put up this morning for newsXpress Knox. It is not a blatant buy me pitch. Rather I have gone for a simple statement of fact – to connect with those buying for fans of crosswords.

Sometimes we have to show people what to purchase and for whom.

This post is a good example of one to boost on Facebook (to pay to reach more people through) – to reach people who may not otherwise purchase crosswords from you.

Note the use ninth post of four square photos – showing range. I think this is important when promoting a magazine category. Using square photos is also important given how Facebook places them.

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