February, 2008 | newsXpress Blog

Be my Valentine!

newsXpress Sun Valley & newsXpress Kin Kora are leading the way with merchandising standards and creating theatre within their stores. This Valentine’s Day has given them another chance to show their wares and we thank Ian Chapman and Sarah Coombs for their exceptional photos and feedback on specific products.

The Sun Valley Photos (below) feature an aromatic product range from Cooee Brands (Australian Flower Therapy) which is selling really well. Heart beat lollies are given out with each customer purchase along with ‘Happy Valentine’s Day’ wishes. The newsXpress Floor Decals are also hitting the mark with a couple of cheeky male customers inquiring as to whether they may indeed ‘steal’ a kiss!

Meanwhile newsXpress Kin Kora (below) have highlighted the Chocolate Gems range which has filled the holes in their Darrell Lea offer and in most cases requires very little work to be saleable. The Hallmark product is selling very well and in particular the Forever Friends ‘Marry Me’ Bear which comes with a free Darrell Lea Love Heart Lollypop.

Sales are going well and everyone is having fun with the season, an outpost will be introduced over the weekend to capitalise on the peak periods – Love is really in the Air!!

Lotto innovation at newsXpress

The various Lotto agencies around the country offer great incentives with mega cash jackpots every other week. This enticement is enough for the regular punters but newsagents often find themselves needing to add their unique flair to truly maximise sales.

Two wonderful newsXpress examples have been communicated during the week:

newsXpress Ballarat used the occasion of this week’s $10mil Powerball Draw to link the theme to Chinese New Year. A considerable amount of lucky symbols and goodwill are associated with Chinese New Year celebrations and the idea behind a ‘Year of the Rat’ syndicate was inspired. Sue Neal reports great interest and was appreciative to be able to utilise and modify the newsXpress provided marketing materials.

newsXpress Sun Valley is a creative hot bed, not just in the newsXpress group but the industry whole. This simple yet effective idea to promote their Amazon Scratchits was a masterstroke.

There are challenges associated with a co-operative franchise operation, but the positives such as freedom of creativity such as exhibited here are more than worthwhile.

Love is in the air at newsXpress

Further examples of the ‘big deal’ newsagents make out of Valentine’s Day. This is a perfect opportunity to engage with their customers in a personal way which the promotion lends itself to.

newsXpress Goulburn is right into Valentine’s Day with even introducing special wallpaper in their Parker pen stand.

newsXpress Erindale have gone all out for Valentine’s Day with Chocolate displays and large signs to help promote their message. Notice the colour theme in the photo? This is done to relate as possible with the traditional colour of the season and attract additional customers.

newsXpress Jamison get creative and prove it is never too early to start a promotion. Darrell Lea sent Easter out a little early so instead of waiting Connie and Dominic have combined their Valentine’s Day and Easter. Already they have received significant orders in large quantities from local businesses for the Easter Product, Hundreds & Thousands eggs.

Hallmark recognition for hardworking newsXpress Windsor

newsXpress Windsor have received the fantastic news that they will be promoted into a higher rebate classification in their Hallmark account. This has occurred due to the hard work of Kam and his team to promote the brand through cards, gift & wrap and an increase in sales. A greater emphasis on merchandising, add on sales and range has led Hallmark to recognise these results and provide backdated rebates through 2007.

The ability to work closely with key account managers and the ever present incentive to improve your return has proved an on-going win/win relationship for newsXpress and Hallmark.

Kam Wong pictured with Karen Sutton at newsXpress Windsor.

HOT ink! sizzles at newsXpress Gympie

Never to do things by halves, Warrick Hosking at newsXpress Gympie has commissioned a massive HOT ink! sign to be hung below his main store branding outside his shop.

This type of pro-activity has resulted in Gympie’s sales increasing from virtually nothing to a potential $80,000 for the year. Embrace technology and it will work for you.

Valentine’s Day at newsXpress

With two catchphrases in use this Valentine’s Day:

Love is a gift! &
Steal a Kiss!

newsXpress members have been given greater freedom to create a promotion that is traditional or a little bit cheeky as per the marketing materials provided. Below are a cross section of store displays across the network:

newsXpress Noosaville are using the ‘Steal a Kiss’ floor decals to direct traffic to their Valentine’s Day display which contains cards, gifts & confectionery.

newsXpress Caboolture have introduced simple cane baskets into their merchandising to better display their wide range of Valentine’s Day themed plush.

newsXpress Toowong are strongly promoting the Valentine’s day range of the Hallmark classic Wellington Bear. The newsXpress posters in the background complete the scene.

newsXpress Castle Towers maximise their exposure by setting up camp in a prominent outpost position in their centre. The use of sell-able product as part of the merchandising is most effective.

newsXpress appoints Stationery Category Manager

newsXpress are pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Walsh as the newsXpress Retail Groups National Stationery Category Manager.

Jeff has over 30 years experience in the stationery field in both the retail and commercial wholesale sectors. He is already well known to newsXpress members as the Queensland State Manager for Stationers Supply and will use this relationship to drive sales throughout the group.

“We see a gap in the stationery market for newsagents” said Graham Randall, founding Director of newsXpress “and the appointment of Jeff to the role of National Category Manager is a means for us to deliver on this opportunity to our members”.

Jeff will begin with newsXpress on the 1st of March and be stationed in the Brisbane support office. He will report directly to Keith Sonerson, National Merchandise Manager.

$1,000,000 reasons to celebrate at newsXpress Coles Upper Coomera

A NSW man in his 30’s was the lucky winner of the $1,000,000 jackpot sold at newsXpress Coles Upper Coomera in the Saturday Gold Lotto draw on the weekend.

Owner Wayne Case noted this was the third $1,000,000 plus victory in his three years in charge of the newsagency.

newsXpress Coles Upper Coomera: Wayne & Angela

Surfing Life strike the right chord at newsXpress Salamander Bay

newsXpress Salamander Bay capture that elusive winning formula with the add on promotion to the new issue of Surfing Life.

Magazine publishers face an unenviable task to keep coming up with fresh and relevant ideas and promotions to continue selling their title and to attract new readers with each edition. According to one of our members, Surfing Life has nailed it with their January edition.

Fiona Matthews from newsXpress Salamander Bay has given kudos to Surfing Life magazine who released their current issue on Wednesday with an Australian flag branded with their masthead as the add-on gift.

Remembering back 12 months ago when Big Day out organisers banned the Australian flag from their event, who can forget the uproar it caused. (not to mention the sales increase of anything with the Australian flag on it)

“I’d like to think that the guys at Surfing Life saw this as a perfect opportunity for this Australia Day” mused Fiona.

“Likewise we saw the opportunity and immediately put the extra flags up in the shop. (Kudos again Surfing Life- providing the newsagencies with a few samples!) It goes without saying we sold out of all the magazines we had with the last one sold as a customer banged on the door as we were closing – ‘me mate said yous had them’ “.

newsXpress Salamander Bay honour a great Australia Day tradition at their store with staff dressing up in the local lifesaving clubs gear (Fingal Bay J ) which they provide to them in return for a donation to their club. They also set up red & yellow donation boxes on the day (the clubs colours) on the front counters for customers to donate their spare change over the weekend. Last year customers donated over $140.00.

Fiona continued “I’d like to believe that these sales themed days along with the “odd” seasons like Halloween & New Year (we did a roaring trade in balloons, hats, blowers and even New Year themed napkins – all from Balloon Agencies) set our store above & beyond the majors in our centre.

Whilst there is a commercial reality to consider these days, when I look at the happy faces of my staff enjoying themselves and customers are asking us what we are doing next, it makes you smile & think to yourself, days like these are why I love being a newsagent!”

Kam Wong pictured with Karen Sutton at newsXpress Windsor.

Ink & Toner at newsXpress Arana Hills, featured in this photo is the unique Cartridge Rescue recycling bin.

newsXpress Coles Upper Coomera: Wayne & Angela