Almost all newsXpress stores did not qualify for JobKeeper because revenue is up. Even better, many newsXpress stores have experienced good GP% growth as more higher-margin products are in the pool of products growing.
Through unique supplier relationships and commercially valuable terms, newsXpress can help its member retailers attract new shoppers, achieve a more bigger basket value and reach an above average GP% for the business.
newsXpress serves newsagency businesses of all sizes. Most are in regional Australia or suburban high street situations. Many are in small towns. Less than 10% of newsXpress members are in shopping centres.
At newsXpress, nothing is mandatory. Size and location do not matter.
Here is some of what newsXpress has done in 2020 with and for its members:
- Early access to state and territory grants. Even where they did not quality for JobKeeper newsXpress helped plenty make the case for grant funding.
- Rent relief. Direct and practical helping achieving rent relief, which has ranged from 25% off rent for 6 months to 75% off rent for 6 months.
- Bonus GP%. On top of newsXpress preferential pricing, 51 suppliers provided an additional 5% of GP April through June on all purchases.
- First with jigsaws. In February newsXpress pitched jigsaws as a growth category in a Covid world. newsXpress members grabbed inventory, and achieved excellent sales. One rural business went from selling $500 in jigsaws a month to $3,500+ a month for several months.
- Online with jigsaws. In March newsXpress turned on a national jigsaw website connected to newsXpress stores to win delivery and click and collect sales. It’s been a hit.
- First with nesting. In March, newsXpress identified nesting as a popular growth category. Members following the advice added thousands of dollars in revenue.
- New suppliers. newsXpress has added 20 new suppliers in recent months, almost all of whom have not previously dealt with newsagents.
- Half price website development. With Tower Systems newsXpress delivered beautiful POS software linked Shopify sites for individual stores for $2,500 (inc. GST).
- Daily email. Sent each morning, by 7am with updated supplier deals, to-do tips for staff and more. Designed for a fast, time-efficient, read.
- Mask access. From June, newsXpress offered masks through several suppliers.
- Subsidised online sales. newsXpress launched subsidised shipping for online sales connected to 100+ local newsXpress stores. The websites deliver hundreds of thousands of dollars across participating newsXpress stores annually.
- Click and collect. From March newsXpress offered practical advice and guidance on how to do click and collect, to win new business. It’s been a hit.
- Daily Zoom meetings. These started March 15 and have run Monday – Friday ever since. The sessions are filmed and 75+ members watch the videos daily. In the sessions newsXpress meet with suppliers, stay on top of news, motivate each other and more.
- Sunday drinks. Every Sunday @ 4pm. This is a more relaxed chat.
- Engaging social media campaigns. Five months ago, newsXpress launched Storytime, exclusive daily social media targeted stories that provide an emotional narrative members can use on social media.
This list is not complete, newsXpress helps and supports in many other ways.
2020 has been a year of opportunities. Newsagents embracing the opportunities are recasting the GP%, shopper traffic and operating overhead cost basis of their businesses for a brighter future.
