Category: About us

newsXpress Woden joined newsXpress last November and in that time have gone through some massive changes in their business.

Proprietors Anthony and Nik McCormack firstly established uniform and customer service changes while embracing newsXpress supplier arrangements and promotions. Then last week the transformation was complete with an impressive newsXpress influenced shop fit.

The proud entrepreneurs are pictured below with their adorable kids.

In a bold move to help newsagents find a brighter future, newsXpress has made places available for non newsXpress members at its inaugural conference on the Gold Coast in September. The agenda packed with presentations which will provide practical advice for newsagents.  Peter Sheehan, author of the book excellent Flip will present the conference Keynote speech.  Flip is about what newsagents need to know – how to turn a business on its ear for a brighter future.

Included in the very practical agenda is a series of Show & Tell sessions where newsagents speak from practical experience on innovation in their businesses, workshops on visual merchandising, a session of understanding Gen Y and a session on how to run a successful staff incentive program.  All practical ideas you will be abl to take and use right away.

If you are looking to re-energise yourself and your newsagency and are considering joining the newsXpress marketing group this conference would be a good way to experience the newsXpress difference.  A limited number of positions are available for non-newsXpress members.  For further information please email paulw@newsxpress.com.au.  Non members will have access to all conference sessions except for one which is for members only.

Do you recognise any of these names. newsXpress has the most retail savvy support team in the channel. With a team like this serving you, your business will move forward in leaps and bounds.

• Mark Nagy: Director & CEO
• Karen Sutton: National Business Manager
• Ian Urquhart: Business Development Manager
• Roger Bortfield: Business Development Manager
• Lesley Bortfield: Business Development Manager
• Sonia Ruhland: Administration Coordinator
• Jeff Walsh: Category Manager
• Michelle Caia: Category Manager
• Chris Hicks: National Property Manager
• Ron Thorpe: Director of Greeting Card Strategy
• Paul Waite: Events Manager
• Trent Shields: National Marketing Manager
• Ben Kay: National Merchandise Manager
• Mark Fletcher: Director
• Graham Randall: Director

To contact us: enquires@newsxpress.com.au

It is interesting to see the lack of strategy in the Newsagency channel. Remember the good old milk bar? There used to be thousands of them and we all used to be a patron and a customer. What has happened to them? Well due to a lack of organisation, poor marketing strategy and communication, sadly they are all but extinct replaced by more modern robust retailers who engage with their customer not just relying customer service but with positional and promotional marketing, communicating their offer.

If your Newsagency is turning into a $2 shop or relying just on predictable stationery promotions advertising unknown house brands. Is your group leadership team providing you with blue ocean strategy or just making you compete in red oceans? If you are competing in red oceans you need to question your groups and your own business direction. Have a good look at what the competition is doing to your business. National brands are the key to our channels future as well as having the tools and know how to compete.

At a recent ANF Convention the question was posed, if newsagents do not align themselves with a progressive, healthy and evolving marketing group they will end up like Milk Bars.

There are only eight chances for any retailer to differentiate itself from its competitors. The Newsagency retailer has to deliberately choose a unique mix of values and activities which becomes even more powerful if driven by a marketing group, one that is different from its rivals, in order to establish its very own unique competitive position.”

Among the “Eight Ways to Win”, five are based on the 5Ps of marketing – Product, Place, Price, Promotion and People. Called the Pentagon Concepts, they are the features of the retailer that the customer can see, and are the very reasons that customers choose to buy from one retailer and not another. Done right, these elements become the distinguishing hallmarks of successful retailers.

The three other ways in which a retailer can win are in its Triangle Activities – Systems, Suppliers and Logistics – aspects of the retailer usually not seen by the customer but underscoring everything that the retailer offers. These activities provide profit opportunities, and are sometimes even promoted as distinguishing features of the retailer.

In publishing this information we’d also like to acknowledge that we have gained the permission of Lawrence J Ring who along with Douglas Tigert, two US Professors have allowed the publication of this. Newsagents and suppliers could both benefit from the Monash course in Strategic Planning and Management at the Australian Centre for Retail Studies led by Professors Lawrence J Ring and John Strong. See the attached web link for more details:

http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/centres/acrs/prospectus/pdf/2008brochure.pdf

Yesterday we held our very first newsXpress market fair at Castle Hill RSL in Sydney’s North/Western suburbs. It would be fair to say we did not know what to expect.

We invited 25 supply partners and service providers in line with newsXpress‘ long term goal of streamlining its supply chain to drive increased margins and eliminate unnecessary costs for its members and supply partners. What was planned to be a low key affair turned into something special with a wide cross section of national brand suppliers and service providers being involved.

newsXpress wanted it to be a low cost event so that suppliers could concentrate on delivering for the members. A number of suppliers commented on how inexpensive this fair was to attend in comparison to others. By developing long term supply partnerships everyone benefits.

Next week we do it all again in Melbourne & Brisbane and then the following week in Perth as we want to make sure every store in our network can benefit.

Proud: newsXpress Castle Towers proprietor Geoff Hilder and newsXpress Chairman Graham Randall

Networking: newsXpress CEO Mark Nagy, Nici Wceszniak & Shirley from newsXpress Castle Towers

Purchase Opportunity: Vinay Soni, proprietor of newsXpress Roselands buying books from Ross Morris of Australian Book Wholesalers (ABW)
Pens, Glorious Pens: Terry & Rosalie from newsXpress Northgate perusing the Pentel exhibit
Say it with a card: Maureen & Paul Blunden, newsXpress Orange talking Christmas Card orders with Lynn Mason from Cardpac

Art made easy: newsXpress Wagga Wagga proprietors, Dean Sutherland (left) & Troy Sutherland (far right) with Ashley Horne from Canson

Ecstatic: A very happy Phil Banks from newsXpress Glendale mills around the 3M display

Intimate: A wide shot of the interaction between suppliers and members at Castle Hill RSL for the Sydney Market Fair

Atmosphere: With over 25 suppliers and 40 newsXpress representatives in attendance the fair was a hive of activity for the four hour duration.

Hallmark Alliance: Nici, Geoff, Shirley (newsXpress Castle Towers), Graeme Baker (newsXpress McArthur), with Julie-Anne and Christine from Hallmark

Smile for the camera: Vinay (newsXpress Roselands) & Hallmark ladies Julie-Anne & Christine

Bright, bold, beautiful: Karen Sutton & the crew from newsXpress Singleton Heights listening to a presentation from hiPP

Gifts for everyone: newsXpressers Ben Kay & Lesley Bortfield enjoying the fair alongside Scott & Steven Brooker from Care and Share

Work & Play: Anthony & Nicky McCormack of newsXpress Woden with their Pentel representative

Rollerboy: Sandy Burke of newsXpress Wauchope, with a senior team member discussing stationery requirements with Pentel’s Rob Henderson

All the fun of the fair: Paul Waite & Karen Sutton

Going well: Graham Randall & Ben Kay

Catch Up: Roger & Lesley Bortfield, newsXpress NSW/ACT/NT Business Development Managers spending some time with their QLD/WA counterpart Karen Sutton

Worth the wait: Maureen Blunden from newsXpress Orange & Karen Sutton