Ugh!

I understand the strategy of brand extension but do wonder whether ACP magazines has taken it too far with picture magazine. We have three additional the Picture branded packs – on top of the regular weekly title. The latest Picture extension which went on sale yesterday was supplied in almost the same quantity as the main title. Besides challenges for sales, these extra titles are demanding space we do not have. To make space, given that we cannot early return ACP titles, we have had to cut titles from lower profile publishers.

I know some folks at ACP will be disappointed that I have published this blog post.  I’d ask them to take a look at the issue, consider the space, cash-flow and other challenges with three brand extensions in an already full segment.  They should ask if they would be happy if it was their space, labour and cash involved.  I’d be happy to take anyone through the numbers.

The key frustration is lack of control.  I cannot choose to be in or out not only with ACP brand extensions but with titles from from other publishers too.  I’d like more respect for my space, more control.  I’d like to choose whether to participate in brand extensions.  This would help me make decisions which could lead to sales elsewhere.

ACP has many excellent brand extensions which I often blog about here. Picture extensions are frustrating because of my low sales and space challenges in the segment.

The masthead of the latest issue of Dirt Action is covered by the printing on the plastic bag inside of which the magazine is sealed.  No wonder these bags get ripped open by browsers.  While the publisher could argue that regulars would identify the magazine through the bag, this is no good if they want to grow their readership.

Wellbeing magazine is re-launching with the new issue on-sale this past week.  They are hiding the re-launch issue in a sealed plastic bag – so much for encouraging browsing.  They are including in this bag an old issue – why do that? To compare the new with the old?  In some of the bags I received the old issue is only from two issues ago.  Hey, I paid to send these unsold copies back to Universal Magazines, the publisher.  Now I am paying to give them space to try and sell this old stock again.  The bag is too big to fit multiple copies per pocket.  This forces Wellbeing onto the already full flat-stack area.  Maybe the publisher is smarter than I think.

The best way to re-launch a magazine is to make it accessible – easily browsed – and to promote it for the future, not by looking back at the past.

Okay, now I know how NETT# magazine gets to be “Australia’s #1 Small Business Magazine” – they block the competition.

The photo shows how the header their merchandiser has placed behind their title this week covers up another Australian business title.  This is disrespectful of the other title and disrespectful of the retailer.

Publishers need to understand that a good magazine department works on respect and co-operation and not by trying to block a competitor.

Health Smart from Reader’s Digest is pinching space from other magazine titles with their flag-like promotion for the free shower gloves which come with the current issue.  While this works for their title, it blocks the next title along.

Health Smart is fortunate to have funds for a merchandiser to visit and grab this space – with little regard for other magazines on the shelf.

The card sticking out of the new issue of Delicious magazine is crumpled and torn with several copies, making the magazine look damaged when it is not.  Publishers sending magazines with cards sticking out like this ought to box them to ensure that they arrive in-store in a merchantable condition.

We will probably remove the cards because in their present form they will not help sales as intended.

New Idea is chunky this week with the free sachet from Master Foods recipe base.  While I understand the preference of the advertiser, I’d prefer to give the gift away from behind the counter and thereby not damage the presentation of the magazine.

Like other newsagents I am sure, we have had to store half supplied stock in the back room.

When I first saw this cat and dog magazine pack I wondered if it was some kind of porn.  That’s what the packaging reminds me of – plastic bagged, a black and white sign in front.  I was looking for the (R) Restricted logo.   Seriously, who is going to buy this product?  $9.95 is too much for a lucky dip purchase.  There is no indication of the quality of the publications or their age.  Whoever is responsible for putting this out ought to learn a thing or two about how to present product.

The latest issue of Alpha magazine is a good example of how advertising can get in the way of selling a magazine.  Alpha comes with a product catalogue.  This is too big to be inserted so it is bagged.  Alpha is a magazine guys like to browse.  I’d expect sales to fall since it is bagged.  Either that or bags will be opened, the magazine browsed and the product catalogue left for us to clean up. Alpha is not the only magazine doing this.

I wish publishers would watch consumer interaction in-store.  I am certain that if they did this they would realise that some titles should never be bagged.

The other issue here is the use of my space for a catalogue.  Alpha is double the thickness this month.  This means double the retail space.  Yet I am paid no more.  This disrespects newsagents and others who retail this title.

The latest issue of the imported Glamour magazine, our yesterday, comes with a free novel.  The only indicator on the cover of the gift is a yellow sticker on the plastic wrap.  I can’t imagine this doing much for sales.  We address this by display the front and the back of the magazine.  We were luck to have the space to fix the publisher caused problem.  I want the incremental sales from the book gift.  The publisher has not thought the presentation through.