Ben Kay, our National Merchandise Manager has been attending a major trade show in Hong Kong this week searching out new possible products for newsXpress members. Our interest in products from China and other Asian countries is not in cheap items others pursue but rather in product which we would be proud to bring to newsXpress shelves and which compliments our existing focus.
Having seen product from 4,000 suppliers across seven massive exhibition halls, Ben has developed a shortlist of suppliers which could fit with our plans for 2009 and supplement important existing supplier relationships. A due diligence process will follow to ensure that the products under consideration meet criteria established by our merchandise team.
We have seen individual newsagents and other groups head down the importing road and not deliver a point of difference or enhance the brand experience. Our mission is to carefully respect these two points in developing our importing strategy.
Ben hopes to be in a position to outline the buying opportunity in one new product category to newsXpress members in several weeks.
