newsXpress at Hong Kong Gift Fair

IMG_5966The Hong Kong Gift Fair has been a terrific event so far and there is still one more day to go. Connecting with existing suppliers, meeting us with Australian partners who are here and developing new relationships.

This is an excellent event to spot trends and discover opportunities.

Live feedback from members back home helps guide out engagement in Hong Kong.

newsXpress shows leadership for ALL newsagents on magazine supply

The ACCC conference to consider a trial of new magazine supply rules held Thursday last week in response to a request from newsXpress was well attended. Major magazine publishers attended along with the MPA, lawyers, the ANF, VANA and NANA, newsXpress members and several independent newsagents.

No other newsagency marketing or franchise group participated in or supported this ACCC conference from what we understand.

This conference was a first for the newsagency channel. Newsagents have never had such an opportunity to speak directly to the ACCC on the issue of the magazine supply model or to confront magazine publishers and distributors directly on the damage to newsagency businesses of the magazine supply model.

It is disappointing that associations presenting newsagents have failed to achieve this previously. Newsagents participating demonstrated that they can speak confidently and personally about the matter without getting too bogged down in minutia.

The conference went for two hours with around half in attendance speaking on the proposed magazine supply rule changes.

As newsXpress had requested the conference it was invited to make an opening statement. Click here to see the submission made on behalf of newsXpress. Also read the MPA submission to which newsXpress was responding.

At the conference it became obvious there was a disconnect between what the MPA (publishers) stated at the conference and what is in its submission to the ACCC for the magazine supply trial. I hope the ACCC considers this. It is covered by my submission to the ACCC.

There was considerable discussion about the failure of the magazine distributors to use the sales data provided by newsagents to set supply figures. In discussing data, a Bauer representative commented that there were many newsagency software packages, inferring working with them was difficult. I pointed out that they, Bauer, played a direct role in approving each newsagency software package for us.

Several newsagents challenged the ANF endorsement of the proposed new supply rule trial and that there had been no consultation. To this, the ANF CEO said there had been consultation citing an article in National Newsagent and a mention in an email to its members.

Had the ANF done its job it would have hosted national meetings where any newsagent could comment on the proposed trial. Indeed, the MPA could have organised such consultation. Instead, it relied on casual discussions with a select group of people and the submitted to the ACCC that it had consulted widely with all stakeholders.

newsXpress asked the MPA if they had sought to understand what newsagents who are growing magazine sales had done. The MPA representative said they had not and that it was not part of this trial.

Our view is that this trial is about researching efficiency gain opportunities for magazine distributors and publishers. Those goals are wrapped up to look like there is a benefit for newsagents.

The new magazine supply model outlined by the MPA in their submission to the ACCC does not provide newsagents with any significant benefits, it will not make us more competitive, it will not stop oversupply, it will not make magazines more profitable for newsagents, it will not stop newsagents reducing their commitment to magazines.

If the MPA did research newsagents who are growing magazine sales they would discover learnings which would be of more commercial benefit to the newsagency channel and magazine publishers.

This is a vitally important matter for all newsagents. newsXpress will continue to fight for a fair magazine supply model.

Newsagents ought to ask where the group they belong to is on this issue and why they were not at the conference.

Our national newsagency marketing group

Screen Shot 2015-04-10 at 4.33.44 amCheck out the national coverage newsXpress offers through its growing reach of engaged newsXpress members.

Created using geo mapping tools, this graphic shows a national spread within easy reach or the majority of Australia’s population.

This latest research of our reach is part of our 2015 campaign expanding the group and expanding the leverage we gain for our members through the group.

newsXpress leverages Walking Dead opportunity

wdIf you love The Walking Dead TV show then newsXpress is the place to shop thanks to leveraging inside information about collectibles including these very special lucky-dip collectibles. The success here is an example of the unique value newsXpress brings to the table – an excellent deal supported by inside information and backed with smart marketing. The results for newsXpress members are excellent.

newsXpress national cluster meeting series to kick off

Next week, newsxpress members will be meeting around the country in a series of cluster meetings to talk business. focused on networking, business growth strategies, current data results and other information, newsXpress members love these business-buulding sessions.

Our experience is networking like we’re about to kick off drives change in member businesses and change drives sales and profitability.

No other newsagency marketing group runs the type of sessions newsXpress runs. The results are valuable for our members, our suppliers and the group as a whole.

The cluster meetings are a key newsXpress difference in action.

Gift display helps drive traffic and sales at newsXpress Canterbury

canterb1newsXpress Canterbury in Victoria has been making a splash with gifts thanks to some terrific visual merchandising of latest products forced from a range of newsXpress preferred suppliers.

Facing into the wonderful Maling Road in Canterbury, this store makes statement in a busy precinct in Melbourne and showing how newsagency businesses can be relevant in changing times.

Thanks to preferred supplier support and in-store staff engagement, this store is representing the newsXpress brand well to Canterbury shoppers.

newsXpress supports the Win a Car promotion from Pacific Magazines

winacarnewsXpress members are actively supporting the Win a Car promotion from Pacific Magazines with prime location placement of the floor display unit at the front of the store in high traffic locations.

In addition to this prime floor placement, newsXpress is running a national social media campaign to leverage the opportunity of the prize. This social media engagement follows successful similar campaigns from newsXpress in the past for Pacific Magazines promotions.

newsXpress members love the free Beanie Boo collateral

newsXpress members are loving the A1 double sided Beanie Boo collateral provided in the latest collateral pack from the group. This poster declares that newsXpress is the Home of Beanie Boos. This is an easy claim to make once you look at our network wide sales, the collectors we serve and the exclusive beanie Boo products newsXpress members carry in-store.

When it comes to Beanie Boos, newsXpress offers the best deals to its members, enabling them to offer the best deals to customers.

Shaun the Sheep at newsXpress

shaunnewsXpress members are loving the Shaun the Sheep opportunity in-store. Connecting with the movie and leveraging products offered at a bonus discount off wholesale, this range is selling from the counter as well as from within the gift department.

The promotion of the Shaun the Sheep product is another example of newsXpress connecting with licenced product sourced from multiple suppliers and offered in a consistent way with the backing of social media and other marketing opportunities.