Author: mark

newsXpress membership is $175 a month including GST. This provides access to a package of opportunities and services that members will tell you delivers financial and operational rewards worth much more than the cost.

Here’s what the $175 a month provides access to:

1. Personalised to your business, based on your data, card department reset – often resulting in a 15% to 40% increase in card sales.
2. Easy access to more than 100 preferred suppliers, including some exclusive to newsXpress.
3. Access to new shopper traffic products that help you expand your reach.
4. Better than wholesale pricing on many items.
5. Better supplier payment terms.
6. Supplier problem resolution. We actively represent you.
7. Landlord negotiation. We help you negotiate.
8. Low EFTPOS rates.
9. Budget planning to help stabilise the business.
10. Retail business refresh / reset to help those looking to change focus and attract new shoppers.
11. Supplier product swag bags that enable you to touch and feel plenty of products without leaving your shop.
12. Free supply of customer loyalty cards for card shoppers, plush shoppers and pop culture shoppers.
13. Easy online selling for 3 products categories with out the need for you to have your own website.
14. Half price Shopify website development from Tower Systems.
15. Digital collateral. 100s of exclusive assets for your use each year.
16. Exclusive to newsXpress seasons. To help you attract new shoppers.
17. Social media collateral. Images, and videos ready for you to use.
18. Team member training.
19. Visual merchandising advice, training, and inspiration.
20. Shop fit, and layout advice. We have helped save thousands of dollars.
21. Timely access to award rates.
22. Member meetings. Online. Via Zoom. Recorded for later watching too.
23. Supplier launches / presentations. Filmed by us, for you.
24. Private Facebook group. Talk about anything, any time.
25. Online knowledge base. 150+ business management articles.
26. We can be your sounding board on anything.
27. Mental health support. We will help any way we can.
28. We do more than this every day.

The $175 a month membership fee is paid each month, by direct debit. This is your membership fee. It pays in part for our services. We also receive rebates from suppliers. these are disclosed to members annually.

You are under no obligation to purchase from any newsXpress preferred suppliers.

In all of our years of operation, there has been no profit distribution from newsXpress. Everything earned by the group has been reinvested for the benefit of member businesses.

Some big retailers are predicting flat or declining sales through 2023 and into 2024 in the US and some here in Australia. There are forecast reports of comp (comparable) store sales, we tend to call these same store sales, of 3% to 5%.

The challenge is that journalists and news editors hear this and attach the downward forecast to all retailers.

We know plenty of independent retailers, including independent newsagents, who are forecasting growth over the same period. Know, not massive growth, but growth nevertheless.

In our own stores, we are planning for 5% growth and hoping for closer to 10%. 

But more important than the sales revenue growth number is growth in business GP percentage achieved. Growing that several points is more important than revenue growth.

If you grew business GP% by, say, 3% and overall revenue by 1% the bottom line benefit to the business would be considerably magnified compared to no change in GP% and 1% revenue growth.

There are many growth opportunities in our channel, many opportunities for retail newsagents to achieve good growth in revenue and in gross profit percentage performance.

How do we achieve that?

Look at your current sales data, look for green shoots, indicators of opportunity for you. In a retail newsagency these are typically in cards, magazines and stationery. Sales in these departments can indicate opportunities outside of them, maybe in new areas for the business, better margin areas for the business.

We know of many retail newsagents where this approach of data lead range review and gross profile percentage growth is successful. It’s the newsXpress approach.

Covid.

One of the consequences of Covid was that many shoppers tried local retail for the first time in years. We showed that we offered diversity in products and personal service. We can continue to leverage these differences. But we have to show rather than tell.

Big retail looks like big retail. Their displays tend to be blah and their differentiator tends to be price.

In local retail, displays that are more fun, appealing and enticing can work well. Back this with shop floor knowledge and genuine personal service and price is a secondary factor. people want to enjoy shopping. They want to walk out of the shop feeling good. That feeling is currency, it pushes pure price to a secondary consideration as value is felt in other ways.

The economy.

Yes, there is pressure in the economy because of rising interest rates. There is still plenty of money around for what people want. Want is a big driver for spending. It’s the emotional purchase where you have good opportunity. 

Especially as a skilled local retailer who is able to feed into the want.

You.

The reality is that there will be more tough economic news and negative reports about retail. You can choose to watch that and worry, or you can create the retail experience that is an oasis of happiness, a place locals enjoy and are happy to spend. Every day, choices you make in your business determine this.

If you do what you’ve done every day for years, your results will be what you are used to. We think the Aussie newsagency channel can do much better than that. 

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newsXpress helps newsagents grow overall GP%, attract new shoppers and run more enjoyable shops.

newsXpress can help. Email or call: help@newsxpress.com.au 0400 331 055. we can show what you get for the $175 a month membership fee.