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.
Newsagents relying on “old money revenue” streams may be experiencing a sharp decline in sales as consumer confidence dips.
Proprietors within the group continue to come forward with amazing stories.
“I am about to break out our Ink and technology sales from Stationery as it is growing so fast”
“Ink & Technology will be my number 1 dept soon exceeding greeting card sales”
“Technology products which are mostly ink now represent 40% of my stationery sales”
“The advertising is what is bringing new people through my door”
“Customers can’t believe we are more competitive than the bigger stores”
“With everything done for me, all I have to do is order the stock put it on the shelf and concentrate on serving my customers, how easy is that?”
“HOT ink! Has helped restore my faith in my newsagency”
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.
newsXpress is about creating superior value and blue oceans for its proprietors and store network, by creating market space with exclusive supply and service arrangements. Does your marketing group do this for you or are you competing in red oceans?
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.
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
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.
http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/centres/acrs/prospectus/pdf/2008brochure.pdf
It was a pleasure to conclude our market fairs in WA. We had many happy suppliers attend and the newsXpress members that attended all agreed it was a fantastic success.
The day included a members meeting and we signed two new members as they were able to clearly see the difference between newsXpress and other models offered in the channel.
When asked if we should continue to do these market fairs the WA newsXpressers gave us a resounding YES!
Sponsors continue to be drawn to the newsXpress National Conference to be held at Jupiter’s Casino on the Gold Coast in September.
Today we wish to acknowledge the generosity of NGT Marketing and Tower Systems in contributing to this showcase event.
More than 80 newsXpress proprietors and team members came along for the Queensland Market Fair at the Greek Club in South Brisbane yesterday with 27 suppliers also on hand.
Several Supply partners made the astounding claims shortly after the fair that they had enjoyed their single most successful sales day’s ever. This is an extraordinary endorsement of the Market Fairs that began as a simple idea several months ago.
We now look forward to Perth next week albeit a smaller more intimate event in a blossoming market for newsXpress.
newsXpress Members and suppliers descended upon the Greek Club in record numbers.
Some of the Hallmark team with Ian Chapman from newsXpress Kinkora and Sun Valley in Gladstone
The Olympic Games Visual Merchandising pack – contact nxpcommcentre@newsxpress.com.au for more information.
A wide hot of the hustle bustle in Brisbane yesterday.
Today, newsXpress turns 3 years old in Victoria. We have come a long way. Picking up some excellent stores throughout the state and consolidating the National Support Centre in Melbourne. This base has been integral in developing supplier and other relationships which are providing great rewards for the group.
newsXpress was started in 2001 by current Director Graham Randall and two other entrepreneurial newsagents in South East Queensland. The group grew within Queensland for four years before branching out south of the border. 7 years after introducing newsXpress we have over 140 stores in each of the 8 states and territories throughout Australia.
newsXpress warmly welcomes both Pacific Magazines and Lovatt’s as sponsors of the inaugural newsXpress National Conference at Conrad Jupiter’s in September.
It is a great credit to our supply partners to possess the foresight and vision to champion this exciting event. We hope to announce several other strategic sponsors over the coming weeks.
Another great outcome from the most recent newsXpress Market Fair held in Melbourne was the opportunity for proprietors and other newsXpressers to meet with supply partners.
This face to face interaction is often taken for granted, but with a great number of our newsagents being located in regional areas this benefit is proving invaluable.
The Hallmark display complete with exclusive newsXpress Alliance promotion Care & Friendship POS.
Robyn, Neil & Leonie from newsXpress Whittlesea are impressed with the great range of plush products from Jasnor
Janine & Jason from newsXpress Shoreline in deep discussion with Marilyn& Dean from Diddl.
Phil Johnson from newsXpress Keysborough and Tim Batt from Tower Systems go through the finer points of the programs operation.
Jim O’Toole and his daughter Ainslie from newsXpress Rutherglen spend a few minutes catching up with newsXpress Chairman Graham Randall and Ashley Horne from Canson.
We are pleased to announce that ACP Magazines and Network Services Company have both agreed to be sponsors of the inaugural newsXpress National Conference at Conrad Jupiter’s in September. It is pleasing that both companies have agreed to partner in this event.
The second newsXpress exclusive Market Fair was held at the Brighton Savoy in Melbourne today with over 45 newsXpressers from Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania in attendance.
Once again 25+ suppliers presented their wares, upcoming ranges and fair offers to the delight of the large newsXpress contingent. The third fair takes place at the Greek Club in Brisbane on Thursday.
The colorful and exceptionally popular Canson Creative Christmas Promotion.
newsXpressers interact with supply partners in the intimate surrounds.
newsXpress members listen intently to presentations from Mark Nagy, newsXpress CEO, Canson, 3M & Hallmark.
newsXpress continues to innovate and grow its marketing to reflect this which no other group in the channel does. The newsXpress offer is equally sophisticated and effective in what it puts together for it’s National network of stores and this is where the point of difference becomes apparent.
Care & Friendship is a fantastic example of an idea that came from a newsXpress member and then embraced by the group and has grown to the point where strategic partner Hallmark wanted to get involved and make it an exclusive Alliance program for newsXpress.
This perfectly illustrates the level of faith and belief that Hallmark, Australia’s largest Greeting Card supplier has in newsXpress.
The evolution of Care & Friendship – history-of-the-care-friendship-promotion-2008.pdf
newsXpress last week announced the appointment of Ben Kay as National Merchandise Manager.
Ben has had a tremendous grounding in retail and the Newsagency channel and has a wealth of knowledge in technology, retailing, product development and selection gained over many years in serving this channel and newsXpress in a wide range of senior roles.
Ben can be contacted through merchandise@newsxpress.com.au
To read the full press release: newsxpress-pr-ben-kay.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
One from the archives – newsXpress Albany opened in Western Australia in December 2006, building their ‘Gala Event’ from the newsXpress store opening template.
A simple but very effective store opening was organised by the team at newsXpress Albany…Hamish arranged to have an Outside broadcast with the local Radio West station and effective advertising in the local Newspaper…
The first 500 customers all received a newsXpress Red environmental bag filled with goodies from industry suppliers…and free balloons were also handed out to all, while the Hallmark Forever Friends Bear was also a great crowd puller as always!!!!
