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XchangeIT

XchangeIT reports to newsagents

XchangeIT yesterday sent out this report on the last year to newsagents:

Dear Newsagent,

Each year we provide a review of XIT’s deliverables to the Newsagent Industry. FY 2017 has been a fascinating and rewarding one for us, and it seems also for you.  Here are the highlights.

Support for Newsagents

We continued to provide support for over 2,200 newsagents throughout Australia.  The top two support categories in terms of volume of calls predictably related to our core business of EDI and High Quality data. Over 86% of newsagents consistently provided high quality data by passing their ITCs.  Well done.  In 2017 we began increasing newsagent’s active participation in the Variance measurement to position them better to qualify for No Physical Returns (NPR).

XIT’s strong support of the promotion efforts on the part of News Corp, Gotch and Bauer were the next highest support call categories.

It was gratifying to see that the fifth highest call volume category was for non-XIT matters, such as Windows 10 and anti-virus issues. We were willing to assist hundreds of newsagents with problems they were having with non-XIT technology or service, which would have cost them more money had they hired an IT consultant to fix them.

Value for money

XIT still provides superior value for money for newsagents, especially those on the highly discounted rate (most newsagents). Our latest ROI shows a return of 482% for newsagents who save three hours a week using XIT.  This percentage excludes any ROI from the Reconciliation or NPR programs, or the uplifts from the various Promotion programs run through XIT.

Value add

In addition to the very attractive ROI newsagents receive from the XchangeIT core business, we got a lot of pleasure adding value with our other programs. These were:

Reconciliation – enabling you to quickly and accurately reconcile your Returns claims with Gotch’s accounts each month, or to easily identify where there might be a gap between your claim and the Returns accepted by Gotch.

No Physical Returns – enabling you to save time and hard cash by qualifying to send no mags back to Gotch each month. Early indicators show 54.54% of agents are saving up to $40 p.w. ($2,080 p.a.).

Promotions – we facilitated promotions for News Corp, Gotch and Bauer.  Results varied yet our Promotions Reports showed an uplift of between 5% & 12% in many newsagents, for very little or no cash outlay.

Digital Marketing pilot – Over an 18-month period of research, design and development we produced a very successful Proof of Concept and Minimum Viable Product culminating in a successful deployment by December 2016.  We proved it possible to integrate any newsagent’s store with a viable on-line presence and then perform general and local promotions efficiently.  This knowledge and skill set will help us in our FY 2018 projects.

Subscriptions – we ran a successful project for News Corp to show we can extract subscription data from newsagent data, with permission, while keeping subscriber details private (required by newsagents) – truly an all-win outcome.

Going the extra mile

Network-Gotch cutover – we identified, rescued and then correctly transitioned those newsagents whose data got lost, misplaced, miscategorised, mislabelled, or generally missed.  This continued behind the scenes for months after the official cutover date saving agents money in “lost” Returns claims, while providing distributors with errant sales data, preserving data integrity and low fees for those stores affected.

Sponsorship – we continued direct sponsorship of newsagents via our popular Gift Card program.  Each month we deliver a gift card to at least ten newsagents to reward them for sustained good performance.

POS Supplier and Distributor related issues – XIT often discovered issues with POS or Distributor systems even before they did.  We aimed to solve them quickly, efficiently and behind the scenes.  A good issue resolution is when the distributor or POS supplier is informed by us they had a problem and “here’s how we solved it”.

Research and Development (R&D) – we spend a significant amount of money each year on R&D with the aim of improving XIT deliverables to newsagents.  Sometimes it makes it to market (e.g. Reconciliation) and sometimes it fails, to be put on the “let’s try again next year” pile.  This positions newsagents to receive the best technology XIT can deliver, with the associated benefits.

Thank you

The Team at XchangeIT comes to work every day looking for ways to produce All-Win experiences for our stakeholders. One day we might be perfect, until then we’ll try our very best, because as newsagents and distributors, you are our customers and we are grateful for your business.  So this is A BIG THANK YOU for being part of our lives.

Warm regards,

The XchangeIT Team.

 

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Newsagency management

Why XchangeIT should cost nothing for newsagents

Through my software company I do work in a range of specialty retail niches. The newsagency channel is the only retail channel with an EDI platform owned by suppliers and for which retailers pay an access fee.

Having to pay to access XchangeIT disadvantages newsagents. It imposes a fee that newsagent competitors do not have to pay for similar type services from what I understand.

Suppliers benefit tremendously from EDI data flowing to and from newsagents. Newsagents should not be required to pay for this. It is time XchangeIT access was free for newsagents.

And while I am at it, it is time for XchangeIT services to be best practice rather than perpetuating out of date practices.

For the record, newsagents using software from Tower Systems are not forced too pay software support fees to retain access to XchangeIT. In my opinion it is wrong to force newsagents to have to pay a POS software co. to maintain such access.

19 likes
XchangeIT

XchangeIT email to newsagents delivers poor service and passes the buck

Screen Shot 2016-07-19 at 1.49.13 PMXchangeIT sent an email yesterday to 607 newsagents using various computer systems advising they have been making the mistake of sending data to the now closed magazine distributor Network Services. Note: click on the image to see the email.

Some time fter emailing newsagents, XchangeIT advised the software companies. Of course that was too late as newsagents had swamped help desks asking what to do.

XchangeIT should have contacted the software companies first as this would have led to a discussion about the possible causes and guided XchangeIT to provide more useful and respectful communication. Instead, the email shifted the blame to newsagents and their software provider – when, in fact, the problem could be brought on by neither.

The XchangeIT email should have been tailored for each newsagent, advising them of the title(s) involved as this is the first step to understanding the issue(s) and understanding is vital for resolution.

If XchangeIT understood and cared about customer service of newsagents and its relationship with the software companies it would have taken a more helpful approach rather than sending a vague email to 607 newsagents yesterday.

One way software companies and newsagents can hide this problem is to turn off sending sales data to Network. At Tower Systems, the newsagency software company I own, we chose to not do this automatically as our view was and is that newsagents need to know if they have a data issue. Hiding it achieves nothing.

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Newsagency challenges

Why newsagents should not resist providing News Corp. sales data through XchangeIT

I am aware of some newsagents refusing to provide News Corp. with sales data through XchangeIT. The provision of this data is one reason for News now using XchangeIT to send supply files to newsagents.

Unlike some magazine publishers, News wants to reduce the paper wastage of returns – saving them money as well as newsagents money. The best shot they have to make more accurate allocations is through timely access to accurate data. Hence the move recently to partner with XchangeIT.

I have met with senior people from News in Sydney on this and related topics several times and am certain there is no sinister plan afoot here. No, there is no conspiracy.

The data being provided is for the stated intended use only. Indeed, the data being provided would to help the company move against newsagents as it is narrow in its scope.

Even a fractional decline in newspaper returns can be valuable for News and valuable for newsagents.

I encourage all newsagents to get on board with this project and to ensure that accurate sales data flows back to News through XchangeIT.

Now before anyone comments – the folks at News and XchangeIT are not aware I am writing this nor have they asked me to write this. I have written this because I think this project is good for our channel. The more we and our suppliers use timely accurate data the better (are you reading this magazine distributors and publishers?)

There are other factors that will reduce newspaper sales in and through newsagencies that newsagents need to be aware of. Worrying about the supply of this data to News is a waste of time in my view.

Yes, News will put their needs ahead of newsagents, as they should. We, too, should put our needs ahead of News – such as where we place newspapers, how we market the product and the time we invest in managing the category. All our efforts should be focused on our profits from the category as it is with News.

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Ethics

Meeting with XchangeIT

I met with Chris Leach the CEO of XchangeIT today as part of a regular discussion Chris has with the various newsagency software companies.

I took the opportunity to express concern that newsagents are pressured to provide accurate sales data yet we see little benefit in return.

While it is outside his purview, Chris listened as I outlined the magazine supply issues I have canvassed here on this blog this week and previously. I made the point that the failure of magazine distributors to supply based on accurate sales data leaves newsagents questioning the value of providing accurate sales data and the impact this has on perceptions of XchangeIT.

The shareholders of XchangeIT – magazine distributors and the ANF – need to affect change by magazine distributors if they are to have newsagents provide access to more accurate data.

They need to ensure that newsagents are supplied based on sales data and not supplied to serve the commercial interests of distributors.

The examples this week of gross oversupply of Top Gear reflect a disregard for good data provided by newsagents through XchangeIT. The supply by Bauer of unwarranted extra stock besmirches the reputation of XchangeIT.  It is disappointing that those involved appear to be uninterested.

10 likes
Ethics

Is it unethical to send more stock of a title a newsagent without justification?

Imagine the surprise of a newsagent this week when they received additional stock of Modern Wedding Styling magazine when they still had stock on the shelves from the August allocation. There is no sales history to indicate they will get through the initial allocation. So, the newsagent topped the supply this week and early returned it.

The newsagent has lost time and money on unwarranted allocation. The publisher has copped the cost of shipping out the stock that was topped this week. They will probably cop a return fee and maybe a topping fee.

The distributor could have saved the publisher and newsagent costs had they used the data they have from this newsagent and not sent the extra stock in the first case.

What happened in this situation could be considered to be a poor allocations, poor management or deliberately actions to generate fees for the magazine distributor.

It’s say it’s not a poor system as that’s an excuse Network has used for decades.

It’s say it’s not poor management because network has had plenty of time to address that.

I think the supply reflects a commercial decision to apply and this is what I’d label unethical. Whoever participated in or facilitated this situation ought to be ashamed of themselves.

This is another example that makes a mockery of the pressure newsagents are put under by XchangeIT for data accuracy. There is no evidence of magazine distributors being put under similar pressure.

18 likes
Environment

Evidence Bauer Media sales based replenishment of magazines to newsagents is not based on sales data

Thank you for sending your sales data.

Based on the information you have provided, we have raised an extra order on your behalf.

This order will be delivered to you on the next available delivery day.

Outlined below is a list of what the order will contain.

This is the opening of an email this week from Bauer to a newsagent. The Sales Based Replenishment (SBR) system / experts at Bauer advised he was getting two additional copies of Top Gear. The problem is, he has only sold two copies and has four copies of the initial supply in-store. The sales data sent to Bauer was for the two copies. This is not evidence to support the Bauer claim to supply more. Their email is wrong, it makes this newsagent trust them even less.

It’s not the first time Bauer has said the sales data made them do it to justify sending extra stock. Nor is this newsagency the only one in Australia to receive such an email from Bauer where there is no evidence in the sales data to support the claim.

This action makes Bauer’s systems look broken and their allocations people stupid or deliberately abusing newsagents to serve the company.

My suspicion is that the Bauer SBR system, if it is a system, is broken and raising new allocations without any evidence – causing newsagents to incur more costs over which they have no control and for which they are 100% liable.

This is unfair. It disadvantages our channel. It makes us less competitive against supermarkets.

Looking at Top Gear sales for this newsagency for 2014, I see no evidence in the data for the newsagent to be suppliers more than three copies each month yet the initial Bauer allocation is six copies. Then, weeks into the month, they allocate two more.

No wonder this newsagent does not trust Bauer. The data informs his position on this.

This is another example that makes a mockery of the pressure newsagents are put under by XchangeIT for data accuracy. There is no evidence of magazine distributors being put under similar pressure.

15 likes
Competition

Newsagent frustration at Network Services invoice changes

networkdeliveryFollowing off-topic comments here about recent EDI changed by magazine distributor Network Services, as promised I am opening a post here so newsagents can comment and through this provide feedback to Network.

This week, Network released EDI changes including the following (I have pulled this info from correspondence from Network – the image is the explanation sheet the provided):

No more multiple invoice numbers (Except for reorders sometimes)

No more pains for customers reconciling statements

Cleaner delivery documents

Changes in SA, WA, TAS and NT from 24th February delivery

  • The number of Statement Reference Numbers in the delivery will be substantially reduced.  However, it’s possible that a bundle may contain products charged on multiple Statement Reference Numbers.
  • Stores will receive an Outlet Summary with their delivery, which is the key document to enable reconciliation to the monthly statement, as it groups titles by Statement Reference Numbers, and also identifies the bundle each title was packed in.
  • DD2 file will remain sequenced in Statement Reference Number order, rather than physical packing order (as per above).

Network, through Netonline, can give newsagents something closer to the EDI experience they are used to. This is called the EDI late File option. Here is information from network again:

File creation begins at 6pm (Sydney time) the night before delivery, the file will then be available to you between 6.30pm and 9.00pm (Sydney Time)Quantities will match the quantities packed at the warehouse

The order of the titles in the delivery file WILL CLOSELY MATCH the order of your deliveries’ physical packing.

This is a new option that aims to streamline the process of physically receiving a delivery through closely matching the order of your POS labels to the order your stock is packed in.

While Network is big enough to defend itself, I’d note that back office magazine distribution software is a large and complex beast. Bending it to serve even the simplest change is expensive and challenging. Adjusting the software to serve newsagents is complicated by many voices seeking different changes.

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magazine distribution

Magazine supply failures cause newsagents to protect their business and fail XchangeIT compliance

We sold out of a top-selling monthly magazine in the week of on-sale just prior to Christmas. We ordered more online and a day later were advised by the distributor they were out of stock. I contacted the publisher and they helped the distributor discover that they did indeed have stock. We were told we’d have stock in two days, on the Thursday. The replacement stock actually arrived the following Monday but it was the old issue.

Frustrated that we had been out of stock already for several days I bought copies of the magazine at retail and put them on the shelves for sale. I’m in a shopping centre with five other magazine outlets and I refuse to encourage my customers to buy magazines elsewhere – hence my decision to purchase additional copies at full retail for re-sale in my business.

By doing this I have set my business up to fail the data compliance requirements of XchangeIT. I am sure I am not alone in this.

XchangeIT, magazine distributors, magazine publishers and newsagency software companies need to agree on a mechanism by which I can report that I have acquired additional stock elsewhere.  My newsagency software background tells me this is quite achievable. I envisage a simple transaction through which I add quantities of an item purchased outside the usual magazine supply grid with this transaction advising XchangeIT electronically and through them the distributor.

This approach can stop me and other newsagents who engage in this practice be being told off by XchangeIT for failing by being a good retailer. It can also give visibility to the distributor so that they know what I could have sold had they been able to supply the additional stock I sought.

While there have been discussions around the XchangeIT table about this on several occasions, no action has been achieved. This needs to change – especially in this current era of undersupply of some key titles.

Magazine distribution failures hurt our businesses not only in lost immediate sales but in educating shoppers to consider other retailers that compete with the newsagency channel. We need to do everything possible to serve our customers for the future of our businesses. If this causes us ti fail XchangeIT standards in the meantime so be it.

How prevalent is this move of purchasing magazines at full retail and selling them in the newsagency? I’d guess that it happens between 1,000 and 2,000 times a year.

On a side note: I wish magazine distributors better handled spare floor stock. Too often I am told there is no additional stock where there is stock.

13 likes
magazine distribution

Increased split delivery of magazines on the way but not for all newsagents

Network Services is gearing up to increase split deliveries for more selected high volume titles. However, they will not provide split deliveries to newsagents identified in their XchangeIT data as servicing sub agents. Split deliveries do not work as desired where a newsagent is servicing sub agents.

Newsagents with sub agents need to ensure they are use their newsagency software property for their sub agent situation to be taken into account.

5 likes
Newsagency management

Hurting our own XchangeIT data

We have a policy in my newsagencies that we will not sell out of a title while it is hot – within reason. We chase extra stock from magazine distributors for as long as we think we can sell the stock.

A good example is the AWW Queen’s Diamond Jubilee one-shot.

Having sold out of our second order for this title and being told there is none left we have purchased stock from a supermarket. We have done this to avoid having to send shoppers elsewhere when our sales are at their peak. To us, the decision was easy. We refuse to show that as a magazine specialist we can’t supply.

The down side is that our actions damage the XchangeIT sales data. This should not be the case. the XchangeIT standard ought to allow show showing that we sourced product elsewhere. We have done nothing wrong other than protecting our business interests when a supplier could not help us.

I am sure we are not alone in doing this.

0 likes
magazines

Inaccurate claims on XchangeIT by Access POS

The Access POS software company has published a claim that it is the only software company with 100% XchangeIT file integrity. The claim is misleading in my in that it does not reflect all compliance measures tracked by XchangeIT. It is claim that XchangeIT has been asked to approach Access POS to withdraw . Besides the inaccuracy, software companies are under confidentiality with XIT.

I know a bit about XchangeIT standards as my newsagency software company, Tower Systems,  participated in developing the file structures and standards at the heart of newsagent EDI, the structures and standards on which XchangeIT standards are based.

With more than 1,800 newsagents as customers, Tower Systems has 1,000 more newsagents using its software than any other software company. Access POS is trying to make out that they are bigger and better than they are. I respect the 90 or so newsagents using their software but note that size will matter as the newsagency channel consolidates.

Consolidation is one of the reasons I purchased the NewsPOS software business. Access POS claims that the NewsPOS business is closed.  It is not closed – NewsPOS newsagents continue to use the software, they get support … nothing has changed except for the ownership of the company. AccessPOS knows this.

Things can get feisty between newsagency software companies.  I’ll be in court in a few weeks defending action brought on by POS Solutions in which they complain about why and how 200+ of their newsagent customers came to switch to Tower Systems.

I stand by every claim I have made about my software and my software company.

0 likes
Ethics

Newsagents miss out from XchangeIT closure

The closure of the XchangeIT help desk these days between Christmas and New Year is frustrating for newsagents who have experienced problems with the XchangeIT, especially where a reinstallation of the software is required. I know of one newsagency where this has happened already and XIT is MIA. The workaround may mean that for this store their compliance stats are not so great – but that’s the fault of XchangeIT and their poor customer service through this period.

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XchangeIT

XchangeIT help desk closed next week

I am disappointed that the XchangeIT help desk will be closed next week.  This speaks to their care for newsagents and their seriousness about providing good customer service.  For newsagents, next week is a regular week with magazine deliveries, challenges over getting invoice files and questions on sending sales and returns data back. With the XchangeIT help desk closed the newsagency software companies will, again, provide cover.

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Customer Service

XchangeIT set to move on newsagents who fail to comply with standards

XchangeIT has written to newsagents who are not meeting compliance criteria in an effort to get them across the line and compliant.  Here is what they had to say:

Since the beginning of May 2011, we have been alerting you to the fact that your store has not been compliant in passing your ITCs for sales inventory data in your last six (6) performance cycles.  Good, accurate sales inventory data is critical to improvements in magazine supply.

Subsequent to this we have also sent out Headlines on the XchangeIT Newsagent Client program, again alerting you or your staff to the fact, and pointing out that if you are not compliant, then you are no longer eligible for the discounted fee that you have been given since joining XchangeIT.

On the 16th January 2012 we will be generating an Invoice for you for 3 months in arrears on your billing cycle which is $112.50 plus GST ($123.75), and from your next billing cycle you will be charged at the base rate being $425 plus GST ($467.40). If however in this time you do start passing your ITCs for sales inventory data, you will not receive this invoice and you will remain on the Discounted Fee of $200 plus GST ($220.00).

Additionally, newsagents who do not pass their Performance Cycle will no longer be eligible for EDI returns via the XchangeIT platform from the 16th January 2012.  This means you will have to enter your Returns Claims manually into each distributor’s web site which will take you longer, be prone to mistakes and lead to credits being delayed.

Our aim is to have all Newsagents on the discounted rate, and to see all agents pass their performance cycles,  if you have any questions please call us on 1.300.551.212 or email support@xchangeit.com.au .

Be part of the solution, not part of the problem – send accurate sales data.

While I support this move, I remain frustrated with the poor customer service by XchangeIT as I wrote about recently.

0 likes
newsagent software

XchangeIT lets newsagents down

I am frustrated that my newsagency software company, Tower Systems, continues to lose time working on XchangeIT issues for newsagents which have nothing to do with our software.  We have to do this because too often the help desk people at XchangeIT tell newsagents that our software is to blame – when it is not to blame.

It is my experience that the XchangeIT help desk can be quick to blame and slow to accept responsibility.  They act with the arrogance of a protected supplier.

The reality is that my software company has been around more than three times as long as XchangeIT.  They got their customers by demand, Tower Systems got its 1,760+ newsagent customers through hard commercial work.  Newsagents stick with them because they have no choice.  Newsagents stick with Tower Systems because they like the choice.

It is frustrating to have to spend time disproving an XchangeIT claim that the problem a newsagent has been having is to do with our software.  This waste of time ultimately hurts newsagents.

Every month the Tower team racks up hours of valuable help desk time researching these misleading claims and often fix the problem even though it has nothing to do with our software.  Newsagents ultimately suffer because this takes time away from us supporting and helping newsagents.

I have complained about the level of support and assistance XchangeIT provides newsagents with since the company was formed.  Occasionally things change, but not enough.  Each time there is a reason or excuse.  The overriding message is that they know better.  Occasionally there may be an apology.  Yet the behaviour of ill-founded blame continues.

I guess they continue to under resource and poorly manage their XchangeIT customer service because they know that my team at Tower, serving more than 50% of all newsagents with computer systems, will cover for them.  We demonstrate our support by not charging an XchangeIT support fee like some others do.  Maybe we should introduce such a charge to cover for the work we do on behalf of XchangeIT.

The quality of XchangeIT support is on my mind because of an incident which was resolved last week.  The XchangeIT people convinced my customer that it was a Tower problem, we lost hours working on this.  Even when XchangeIT realised that it was directly related to their software and how it was installed, they changed their story and said it was Gotch and Network related.  It was never a problem with Gotch and Network.  I was shocked that their spin to the newsagent.

The most recent incident  is a good example of the costs I am bearing on behalf of newsagents because of unjustified blame shifting by XchangeIT.

If you represent XchangeIT and are frustrated or upset that I have complained here rather than to you, think back to the many meetings, emails and calls about this issue and the level of service you provide newsagents.  It’s time you did something.  The current approach is unfair against newsagents.

0 likes
Customer Service

Newsagents scrambling to avoid the XchangeIT penalty

XchangeIT has written to newsagents who have consistently failed their timeliness, quality and or other criteria for sending magazine sales data from their businesses.  This action was first forecast over a year ago with regular reminders published since.

A flaw has been discovered in the timeliness criteria which XchangeIT has agreed to review.  This is where a newsagent may run their end of shift process prior to the end of the day, for sound operational reasons, and have some trading on that date before closing the business for the day.

Colleagues at my newsagency software company Tower Systems are navigating this gap in how XchangeIT expects newsagents to operate their businesses versus how some newsagents do operate their businesses.  The gap means that some newsagents who do send data recording all sales are set to be penalised because sales data for a day could be split across two sales files.

Immediately on being informed of the situation XchangeIT agreed to investigate.

In the meantime, I urge newsagents to treat the issue seriously and review their EDI related processes to avoid the XchangeIT penalty.

Footnote: if only magazine distributors would accept penalties for consistently poor performance as they are now imposing on newsagents through their XchangeIT operation.  The fines would cripple them.  Double standards are on show here.

0 likes
Newsagent representation

Help for newsagents on XchangeIT compliance

XchangeIT yesterday emailed newsagents who will be charged a higher fee from March 31, 2011 for accessing the service because they are not sending magazine sales data.  This morning I published a 9 point action plan for XchangeIT compliance here.

Concerned newsagents should book for one of the free live and online magazine management workshops run by Tower Systems – any newsagent can book and participate.  Click here for details of the session next Tuesday – an XchangeIT expert will step you compliance and how to avoid the higher cost from March 31.  This training program has been undertaken by more newsagents than any other training ever in the history of the newsagency channel.

Meeting XchangeIT standards is important for newsagents and the magazine distributors.  It is something we should all work together on.  Hence the opening of the popular Tower training program to all newsagents and at no cost.

It is unfortunate that some software companies charge newsagents extra for XchangeIT access and support and that they block access to invoices from XchangeIT if their software support fee is not paid.

0 likes
magazine distribution

Old XchangeIT closed

As planned, the old XchangeIT EDI platform has closed this afternoon.  There were only 57 newsagents left as registered for this old software.  More than 2,000 migrated to the new XchangeIT Link platform.

This has been a good migration.  The real beenfits will flow when we see more competitive offers which leverage the new technology.

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XchangeIT

Magazine management training opportunity for newsagents

Tower Systems is running its third free online magazine management training workshop for 2010 – tomorrow (Tuesday) at 11am.  Click here to book – there are places still available.

The session will cover XchangeIT EDI standards, efficient operational (arrival and return) processes, how to track theft and other points which drive efficient management of magazines.  Participation is open to any newsagent, not just Tower Newsagents.  While based on the Tower software, plenty of the content will be relevant to any newsagent.

This free Magazine Management workshop has been completed by at least 700 newsagents, making it the most widely undertaken newsagent training ever.

Magazines are the most significant product based point of difference newsagents have.  Managing this category efficiently is key to ensuring a financially healthy newsagency.  It is easy to grow other revenue off good magazine sales.  This is why I write so often about magazine here.  Until we find a replacement which generates as much traffic and revenue (which I doubt we will find) we need to take every step possible to achieve the best results possible.  This starts with excellent magazine management – hence the importance of this workshop.

0 likes
newsagent software

The old XchangeIT to close January 12

The old XchangeIT EDI platform for newsagents is to close permanently on the afternoon of Tuesday January 12, 2010.  With all but 120 newsagents having now successfully migrated to the new XchangeIT Link, the time is right to once and for all kill off this old technology.

Newsagents not running the new platform need to make plans ASAP otherwise they will not receive electronic invoices for magazines.

FYI, Tower Systems is running free online training workshops on magazine management.  these include considerable information on the new XchangeIT Link platform.  The next session is today at 11am – but there are only two places left.

0 likes
newsagent software

NDD delays returns benefits

Magazine distributor NDD had hoped to have introduced a more immediate credit process for magazine returns processed by newsagents through XchangeIT.  These changes are now not expected before March.  This will disappoint many newsagents who committed to XchangeIT on the promise of faster returns processing.

The issue here is cash-flow.  Every copy returned reflects cash owed the newsagents.  The poorer performing the title the more cash owed.

A fairer financial model for magazines would be where we pay on scanned sales.  As it stands, newsagents and publishers carry the risk and distributors nothing.  They are paid for everything they do regardless.  Every day we wait for a credit for stock which has failed is a cost to our business.

0 likes
magazine distribution
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