Author: mark

I am a Director of newsXpress, a marketing group for newsagents keen for a bright future. You can reach me on +61 418 321 338 or mark[at]towersystems.com.au

Excellent newsXpress member meeting in Melbourne

newsXpress members who participated in the member meeting in Melbourne last week are providing excellent feedback on the experience.

Hosted at the Kooyong tennis centre, right next to centre court, the event was an excellent mix of product and business management discussion. Several suppliers had special offers available and one of our FMCG suppliers, exclusive to newsXpress, shared valuable shopper basket insights based on a professional analysis of basket data from close to 30 newsXpress outlets.

newsXpress provides access to excellent supplier deals and backs these with commercially valuable insights that help stores convert supplier deals into cash in the bank sooner.

A feature of the meeting was a two-hour open forum  in which everyone participated, sharing ideas from their own businesses. The free-flowing discussion covered products, newspaper distribution, future changes in retail, shop leases, business planning, staffing and plenty of other topics. It was an excellent and open networking session. newsXpress members not at the meeting have been able to see comments from participants at our private communications page.

This member meeting in Melbourne showed off the value of being part of newsXpress on a range of levels. We are grateful to newsXpress members and suppliers who took time out of their businesses to participate.

Skansen support helps newsXpress members make more from Beanie Kids

newsXpress members enjoy wonderful support from Slansen for the Beanie Kids range.

From accessing products to understanding the Beanie collector to tapping into merchandising ideas, newsXpress members have access to best practice opportunities form Skansen.

Our newsXpress Knox City corporate store is driving excellent sales of Beanie Kids by being able to display this in a strong and consistent way. the store regularly moves product – but always together as shown in the photo. Each move unlocks new product opportunities form shoppers.

This display and the handling of beanie products at this store is best practice: good range, well displayed, supported with good knowledge from staff and great shop floor shopper engagement.

Diaries selling very well for newsXpress

newsXpress Knox City, like so many newsXpress stores, is having a great time with diary sales thanks to a well-located in-store display facing into the shopping mall.

Following best practice two-tiered placement of the newsXpress collateral above the display gives the placement of diaries an excellent presence.

With year on year sales ahead by double digits this is an excellent position for diaries at this point in the season. By being price and range competitive, newsXpress Knox City is enjoying the 2013 diary season and making the most of the opportunity.

newsXpress EXCLUSIVE: Patch the talking dog

newsXpress Knox City is embracing the opportunity with Patch, one of the EXCLUSIVE Christmas lines for members of our group.

Promoted on the lease line facing into the shopping mall, the Patch display is setup with the how to video in play.

The display is next to a One Direction display, to leverage more traffic.

The plush items on top are there to draw more attention – they are selling like hot cakes.

It is fascinating watching shoppers walking past in the mall, notice the display and come over. It’s the combination that works well, especially the bolder and brighter items. Once at the display they get to see the detail and hear fun of Patch.  As the only shop in Knox City with Patch this is an excellent opportunity for grabbing sales and building word of mouth.

Interactive products a hit in newsXpress stores

Interactive product sales in newsXpress stores have close to doubled in value in 2012 compared to 2011 on a same store basis. This growth has been achieved thanks to wonderful support from suppliers with new interactive products with which to entice shoppers to shop with us.

newsXpress Port Fairy is one newsXpress member embracing the interactive opportunity with a range of products from the Hallmark recordable storybooks to the Chattermunk product. These delightful and engaging products give a wonderful experience. they are a wonderful gift to give and a terrific product to have on the shop floor.

By engaging with interactive products from a number of suppliers, newsXpress members are able to tell a better retail story and drive a better commercial outcome. This is money in the bank!

Promoting One Direction in Port Lincoln

newsXpress Beers Port Lincoln in South Australia has been promoting a range of One Direction products in their shop window, drawing in shoppers from the street with their excellent range of items related to the boy-band phenomenon.

Bringing a range of products together from various suppliers for a window display pitches the business as satisfying an interest or need. It separates the business from others who may have the titles but will not have been smart enough to pitch them together in this way.

It’s a smart move.

Christmas already at Ocean Grove

newsXpress Ocean Grove went out early with an excellent range of Christmas decoration products from newsXpress preferred suppliers. The display on the dance floor facing shoppers as they enter the business looks stunning. It’s working a treat.

Plenty of newsXpress suppliers provided access to early Christmas shipping, giving our members the opportunity to ensure they got what they wanted when they wanted – so they could make the most of the Christmas season.

The story being told on the shop floor at newsXpress Ocean Grove is excellent not only for the business but also for Ocean Grove shoppers who can have their Christmas decoration needs satisfied without having to drive into Geelong. This is a good shop local message.

newsXpress members love our free newsletter

In a recent member survey, newsXpress members shared that they loved the free monthly InStore Offers newsletter produced by newsXpress for members. The newsletter is sent as a PDF that can be customised to look like a personal newsletter from the newsXpress business ton its customers.

Some newsXpress members include the newsletter with monthly accounts, others mail it to their customer database, others email it and others have it in a display unit at the front of the store.

Regardless of how the newsletter is distributed, it spreads the newsXpress message far and wide in a professional and proud way. Every newsXpress member engaging with this is reaching beyond their store with the newsXpress message and showing that not all newsagents are the same.

newsXpress was first to market with this type of marketing platform for newsagents. today, years on, the newsletter connects with our live in-store radio, TV campaigns, seasonal promotions and other consumer marketing connections. It’s an important part of our integrated marketing.

This month’s newsletter features some excellent EXCLUSIVE deals that further show off genuine value from shopping at newsXpress.

newsXpress Eli Waters scares up Halloween fun

Allan and Stella Wickham of newsXpress Eli waters win the price for the best live engagement with Halloween thanks to the amazing look they each put on for the big day earlier this week. Well done to both for putting aside their glamour looks for a day and embracing the fun of Halloween in this way. It is this type of embrace that makes halloween even more enjoyable.

Reports fron newsXpress stores are of an excellent Halloween season.  In one of  our corporate stores, sales are up more than 200% off an already good base. It went out with an excellent front of store display and competes with the majors in the shopping centre.

Allan and Stella take the cake for the best look. They have done the newsXpress brand proud and scared plenty of customers (in a good way).

Terrific diary offer at newsXpress Ascot Vale

Check out terrific diary range on show at newsXpress Ascot Vale in Victoria. Well situated on the dance floor and promoted using the newsXpress 2013 diary collateral, this display can’t be missed by shoppers in the store. On offer is an excellent range of diaries for Ascot Vale shoppers.

Click on the image to see a larger version.

Promoting Men’s Health Summer Training Guide 2013

Check out the display created by the team at newsXpress Knox for promoting Men’s Health Summer Training Guide 2013. This display is in prime position in our men’s magazine area. The display stands out because of the monochrome background. We also have the title in its usual location.

Click on the image to see a larger version of this display.

newsXpress Ascot Vale promotes Better Homes and Gardens

newsXpress Ascot Vale is making excellent use of the display unit and marketing collateral to promote the Christmas issue of Better Homes and Gardens. Perfect located to be seen by all customers and visually strong, the display is sure to drive excellent sales of the popular title.

Click on the image for a larger version.