newsXpress says no to major shopping centre opportunity

newsXpress is regularly offered opportunities by shopping centre landlords. Each opportunity is assessed and negotiations undertaken. If the opportunity does not meet our minimum requirements, we do not proceed.

This happened recently with an opportunity in a major centre in Queensland where the store, trading under a different newsagency banner group, is in hard times. We engaged with the landlord, talked terms and eventually said thanks but no thanks this time.

We will not take on a tenancy just for the sake of it. It must work on its own, the numbers must be right.

Sometimes, a smaller newsagency outside a major centre will deliver a far more valuable return than the higher profile business. Our focus is on the size of the return on investment.

How to attract shoppers to your newsagency in a shopping centre mall

newsXpress Knox has been enjoying excellent sales of the newsXpress Christmas lines and other key products being pitched at the front of the business, on the lease line.

Paying careful attention to the front of store message has paid off for this corporate store and helped it achieve above average results for the performance of similar businesses in the centre.

History shows that a compelling offer at the front of the business can attract people who would not usually visit or who may not have planned to visit that day. Key to a successful display is to appeal to a key demographics. This is where the Knox presentation works particularly well.

New Golden Casket corporate image launched

golden-casket-corp-image-robina.JPGThe new Golden Casket corporate image was launched at newsXpress Robina with the opening of their new store.

Looking very professional with smooth and clean lines, the new image is the result of considerable work within Golden Casket and working with proactive retailers such as Chris, Tony and the team at newsXpress Robina in Queensland.

A strong corporate image is important in retail.  newsXpress is grateful to Golden Casket for their innovation.

Easter colouring entries at newsXpress Orange

orange_easter.jpgThe team at newsXpress Orange (NSW) is stringing entries in their Easter colouring competition from the ceiling and as the photo shows they already have many young artists vying for a prize.  Each newsXpress location is running their own Easter competition with terrific local prizes on offer.  As we can see at newsXpress Orange, the competition adds to the in-store theatre and shopping experience.

Using the second dance floor

nx_kn-x_offers.JPGOur new newsXpress corporate store at Knox City Shopping Centre in Melbourne has two dance floors for promotional displays.  This provides excellent flexibility for promoting seasons as well as the deals which newsXpress access for members.  The second dance floor, configured properly, pulls shoppers deeper into the shop.  We are seeing this at Knox.  We are driving value based business without making the shop look cheap.  The value items on sale are closely aligned with traditional categories in our businesses.  This helps drive flow to the aisles beyond the offers on the second dance floor.

Gift fairs present excellent opportunities

newsXpress is guiding its members in Brisbane and Sydney to visit with our preferred suppliers at gift trade shows this weekend. The REED Gift Fair at the Brisbane Exhibition Convention & Centre features several preferred suppliers as does the GHA Home & Giving Fair this weekend at the Sydney Showgrounds, Olympic Park.

With gifts a high growth area in newsXpress newsagencies, both fairs represent excellent opportunities for our members to grow this high margin feel-good department. We are grateful to our suppliers for the offers they will have available for our members.

newsXpress has a range of categories like gifts which are important to the evolution of the newsagency model. Like Rome, the newsagency of the future will not be built in a day.  The key is to have a plan.  Gifts, relevant and good margin gifts, are part of that.

Visual Merchandising drives Burkes Backyard sales

watergardens_burkes_backyard.jpgThe team at our newsXpress Watergardens, Victoria, corporate store are enjoying considerable success from their stunning visual merchandising displays. This Burkes Backyard display in the photo makes good use of a column which otherwise looks like it is in the way. Renee and our team are talking with our customers and suppliers are creating displays which speak to our demographic.  The real test is sales.  Our magazine sales are going against the industry trend.

The display shows what good visual merchandising skills can achieve.  newsXpress members, through their Business Development managers, share VM ideas and feedback.

Stunning Lovatts crossword display

nx_waterg_lovatts.jpgOur talented team at newsXpress Watergardens, our corporate store in Victoria, has created a stunning front-of-store display promoting Lovatts crossword products.

By following a less is more principle, the display stands out to people passing the shop in the mall.  Too often displays at the front of newsagencies are cluttered and project mixed messages.  We have seen customers react by walking to the display and engaging with the Lovatts products on offer.

Part of our visual merchandising strategy is to guide our members to promote ranges which differentiate their businesses from others nearby – especially in the magazine space.  This Lovatts display does exactly that.  The supermarket near us does not have this range.

The key with any investment in real-estate and time is the return – we track this and change our approach as necessary.

Valentine’s Power End (part 2)

powerend.jpgThe visual merchandising team at our newsXpress Frankston location have made excellent use of the Hallmark and newsXpress marketing collateral – built around the free Sunbeam coffee machine being given away to one lucky customer. Like many newsXpress stores, the team has bought well from newsXpress suppliers, choosing appropriately for their specific demographic.

For seasons like Valentine’s Day, newsXpress provide a range of options for members and they select according to their local needs. We understand that there are times when a consistent national range and price is important and times when local needs take precedence. newsXpress is flexible in its approach and puts the needs of our members first.

Valentine’s Power End (part 1)

2nd-feb-008.jpgPhil and Wendy Banks at newsXpress Glendale have a reputation in their region for gifts. They have built this carefully by attending trade shows and listening to their customers. Phil and Wendy were at the Reed Gift Fair in Melbourne this weekend – already planning for later this year. Back at their shop, their Valentine’s Day marketing was in full swing. They have a brand new range of gifts and are using the newsXpress marketing collateral (provided through our new website) to good effect.

Dressing the store for the sale

marbigvalueprop.JPGIn addition to our TV campaign and national letterbox drops supporting Back To School at newsXpress, we have provided our members with a range of in-store marketing collateral – preprinted as well as material they can print themselves – to support the Back To School themes of brand and value.  On some items, like the Marbig Lever Arch Binders, we include an additional pitch – summer colours.  While this may be obvious because of the colour of the product, we have found that adding to the communication in this way can further differentiate your offer from that of a competitor.

Lease help for newsagents

Negotiating a lease is a daunting task, one which often overwhelms newsagents as they navigate dealing with tough negotiators and are confronted with lease agreements which are burdened with legal jargon and unfair clauses which can, over the long term, devalue a newsagency.

To help newsXpress members navigate lease negotiations, newsXpress has a lease Consultant on our team.  Chris Hicks has years of experience in lease negotiations with all of Australia’s major landlords as well as many small independent developers. 

Chris liaises with the landlord, takes the emotion out of negotiation and leaves the newsagent to get on with building the business.

Chris Hicks’ service to newsXpress members sees him provide day to day help on lease issues which arise long after the lease is signed.  Issues such as outposting, lease lines, shop-fits and other operational matters can be resolved thanks to Chris’ help.

Over the last two years, Chris has successfully negotiated fifty new leases for newsXpress members.

Lease advice and support is another benefit newsagents can access when they join newsXpress.  It is part of a host of services we provide access to through our membership.

Magazine headers drive sales growth

nx_magheader.JPGMagazines are included in, on average, half of all purchases made in newsagencies. While the category faces some challenges, we know from our private newsXpress same store year-on-year data analysis that growth can be achieved. newsXpress pursues magazine sales growth through a considered business management strategy. We work closely with our members on a multi-faceted strategy which helps newsXpress newsagents resolve supply issues efficiently, improves the shopper experience and rewards loyalty.

A small but important part of our approach to magazines is our use of newsXpress branded headers in-store. These are placed at the top of each column of magazines. Our magazine headers clearly identify categories, identify the MPA (Magazine Publishers of Australia) code and thereby make title placement by newsagent staff easier and more consistent and make the department look professional.

Shoppers react well to our newsXpress magazine headers – they can more easily find the category they want. We have received complimentary comments about how professional they make the magazine department look.

Magazine headers are part of the starter pack new newsXpress members receive when they join our group. They, along with other magazine elements in our starter pack, allow us to introduce newsXpress strategies to new members as they prepare to re-launch under the newsXpress brand.

The headers are part of the reason newsXpress newsagencies outperform other newsagencies in year-on-year same store magazine sales.

Landlords love the newsXpress brand

nx_gateway.JPGWe are pleased to be in a position to have opportunities for new newsXpress locations in several key high growth area developments thanks to landlord faith in the newsXpress brand.  These greenfield location opportunities are excellent for newsXpress corporately and excellent for those who join with us in taking up the opportunities.

Approaches such as those currently before us come through our national leasing consultant.  He is contacted regularly by landlords with existing centre opportunities as well as greenfield opportunities. The newsXpress Board assesses these and selected the locations which offer the best opportunity for the business to flourish and represent our brand.

We do not enter into discussions with a landlord where an existing newsagent may be forced out.  This is against the principles of our organisation.  Our interest is in new opportunities and in building healthier existing newsagencies.

To be courted by landlords is both welcome and challenging.  Thanks to a dynamic and dedicated team on the ground and in our back office we are able continue to build the premier newsagency brand in Australia.

Connecting with the Spring Racing Carnival

src_kit.JPGSeasons like the Spring Racing Carnival present an excellent opportunity for newsagents to engage in retail theatre.  newsXpress supports these seasons through visual merchandising packs which supplement local creativity around the opportunity.

Too often others neglect opportunities like the Spring Racing Carnival and then complain later about the leakage of consumers from their business to other retail channels.  In today’s market, more than ever before, we need to be on top of every opportunity.  Certainly as the premier marketing group for newsagents that is the case for newsXpress.  Our members can choose whether to engage or not – our job is to put the opportunity on the table and to back this with appropriate collateral.

Newsagents are a good fit for promoting the Spring Racing Carnival because newspaper sales are up, racing magazine sales are up, party supplies are up and, most important of all, it’s fun!