Category: newsXpress difference

Since the launch of our new website we have been receiving applications daily from people looking to work at a newsXpress newsagency.  This is another service some of our members are finding useful.  People proactively making contact with us through the website are demonstrating good initiative, an attribute important in retail.

newsXpress has appointed Ray Westlow to the new role of National Product Development Manager.  Ray brings to the role more than twenty years experience in the stationery channel, most recently with Wilson Stationery. His role with newsXpress will focus on developing and rolling out a consistent stationery plan-a-gram offer to all newsXpress locations and supporting this with professional in-store training and marketing collateral.

“Ray is a welcome addition to our national newsXpress team.” said Graham Randall, Managing Director of newsXpress Pty Ltd. “His stationery experience will help us evolve the next generation of our stationery offer and build profitable intellectual property for newsXpress and our members.”

Ben Kay, newsXpress General Manager welcomed Ray’s appointment: “Ray’s appointment strengthens our position in the marketplace and reinforces our position as the best newsagency marketing group in the country.”

“I am excited by the opportunity to help newsXpress newsagents reinvent their stationery offer.” Commented Westlow. “It is time for newsagents to achieve more from their stationery department and I plan to help them do that.”

This appointment is the realisation of another commitment newsXpress made at its national conference last year. It strengthens the leadership of the company and extends the range of services delivered to members.

The newsXpress membership fee of $495 a month remains unchanged despite this significant extension to its services to members.

newsXpress will outline more details of the new stationery strategy at its next round of member meetings later this month.

Anyone looking to buy a newsagency in Melbourne should make contact with newsXpress.  We have just signed an agreement with a landlord to create a new outlet in a sought-after A class shopping centre.

This is a greenfield location, an opportunity to develop the business from the ground up, around the successful principles and strategies of newsXpress.

newsXpress members in Western Australia are pleased to see their efforts with West Australian Newspapers over many months close to paying off with resolution in site in a long running battle over distribution arrangements.

newsXpress is pleased to have helped encourage its members to fight for their rights in pursuit of more equitable arrangements on this core area of their businesses. newsXpress will support any members involved in disputes and negotiations with suppliers where members feel we can add to their voice.

newsXpress received thanks last week for supplying eight pallets of stationery to students in Yea affected by the recent bushfires in Victoria.  Our contribution was driven and co-ordinated through Ted Loader of newsXpress Young and was instigated by the students of Young High School.  Roger and Lesley Bortfield, newsXpress Business Development Managers for NSW drove our involvement and support.

This is an excellent story for all involved.  It shows heartfelt concern by one group of high school students for another and how one town can rally around that concern to help another community in need.  The returned thanks is also recognition of the effort of all involved.

newsXpress is pleased to have had an opportunity to be part of the community effort.  We serve in communities across Australia and appreciate opportunities to help in practical ways.

Jeff Walsh is moving from a merchandise role to a Business Development role with newsXpress in Queensland. Jeff brings a wealth of experience in the stationery and related categories to this new role. He suggested the move after spending the last six months working in the field with newsXpress members on planagrams for several key newsXpress stationery offers.

Jeff will retain a watching brief in the merchandise role, ensuring that the group leverages his excellent industry contacts and knowledge for newsXpress members nationally.

Jeff joins Belinda Adshead in sharing Business Development Manager responsibilities for our large Queensland member base. This means we will be able to get to members more regularly. These visits by our Business Development Managers provide members with practical help in building healthier businesses.

Best of all, the regular visits by newsXpress Business Development Managers are free – part of the newsXpress deliverables.

The newsXpress member meetings which we are hosting in April will have a strong networking component – there will be excellent opportunity for newsagents to share ideas with each other and learn from each other. Our role is to provide the environment and the open discussion between colleagues.

We have several discussion starter topics we will bring to the meetings to get people sharing their approach to issues newsagents face. Our goal is to focus discussion on parts of newsagencies which local management can change.

Newsagents considering joining newsXpress are welcome to ask for an invitation to a member meeting – or book directly online at our website.

The newsXpress branded basket makes shopping easier in our stores while reinforcing our brand at the same time. The quality of the basket itself speaks to the quality of the newsXpress brand.  These baskets are another opportunity for our members to anchor their businesses around the newsXpress brand and distance themselves from the more generic and vague newsagency shingle.

We understand the importance of shoppers knowing where they are – knowing the name of the business helps being them back to us based on the experience.

The baskets, our newsXpress branded bags, staff uniforms, name badges and other in-store tools professionally represent the newsXpress brand and the shopping experience.  Attention to these details is as important as is attention to having the right mix of products sourced for the right price.