Tag: newsagent management

In this video, we dive into our recent visit to the Spring Fair in Birmingham, where we had the opportunity to explore some of the most exciting trends in the greeting card and gift packaging industries. Accompanied by a group of fellow Australian retailers, we highlight two standout suppliers whose products are making a significant impact on the independent retail market: Paper Salad and Glick.

newsXpress hosts retail tours, taking small business Aussie retailers to see innovative retail. Join us on a visit to Harry Brand, an inspiring shop.

Theft in a retail environment is a difficult subject. It is often a shock to business owners. We like to believe that we can trust everyone in our shop. However, employee theft remains a significant issue in the industry. It often accounts for the largest dollar value of retail losses each year. Beyond the financial impact, there is a deep human cost that can affect your mental health and personal relationships.

Many retailers have a similar story. You may find that the numbers do not make sense. You might notice discrepancies during certain shifts. It is easy to ignore these signs because of the trust you have built with your team.

We discussed this in a recent video published at our newsXpress YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/3z9AO0gd-8g

Discovering that a long-term employee or even a family member is stealing is devastating. It can feel like a personal betrayal. This emotional burden is often heavier than the financial loss itself.

newsXpress helps retailers deal with employee theft.

In the past, many retailers tried to handle these situations quietly. They might have accepted a settlement to make the problem go away. Today, a more professional approach is necessary. Dealing with theft head-on is the best way to protect your business. You should involve the police when the evidence is sufficient. This ensures the situation is handled legally and fairly. It also prevents the problem from being passed on to another local business.

Modern technology makes it easier to spot issues early. Point of sale software can provide insights and dashboards that highlight suspicious activity. However, the tech is only one part of the solution. You also need clear policies. Every shop should have a formal theft policy. Displaying this policy on the back wall sets clear expectations for everyone. It makes your position known from the start.

When you suspect an issue, act with a clear head. Gather your facts and evidence first. When you speak to the person involved, ensure you have a witness present. It is a complex situation to navigate. You must look after your own mental health during this time. At the same time, you have a responsibility to manage the situation professionally within the workplace.

NewsXpress is here to support members through these challenges. We provide advice based on lived experience. We can help you navigate the steps of involving the police or dealing with insurance. You do not have to face these situations alone.

While there are no easy wins in employee theft, taking decisive action helps you move forward. It protects your financial well-being and ensures the long-term stability of your business. If you need guidance, please reach out to our team.

Retail is about more than just a transaction. It is about the connection between the shop, the customer, and the community. One simple way to deepen this connection is through the products we choose to stock. Specifically, Australian-made greeting cards offer a unique advantage. They provide a point of difference that helps local businesses stand out.

Aussies love Australian made.

Supporting local makers has a ripple effect across the economy. When you sell a card designed and printed in Australia, you support local jobs. This includes the creative designers who develop the artwork. It supports the printers and finishers who produce the physical product. Even the logistics teams and warehouse workers benefit from this local cycle. Keeping these industries active strengthens our own retail environment.

Here’s a new video from us about this: https://youtu.be/sk5C7cz0jXY

Customers often look for a reason to choose one item over another. Price is not the only factor in their decision. Many shoppers value the sentiment behind a purchase. If a customer is undecided, pointing to the “Australian Made” logo can be a deciding factor. It gives them a sense of pride in their purchase. They know they are contributing to the local workforce while buying a quality product.

This advantage is particularly clear during major seasons like Mother’s Day. Discount variety stores and large supermarkets often stock cheap, mass-produced cards from overseas. These cards may serve a purpose, but they lack a local narrative. Offering Australian-designed and made cards provides a premium alternative. It creates a point of difference that large-scale competitors cannot easily replicate.

Retailers should encourage their staff to share this story. If a customer is struggling to choose, suggest they check the back of the card. Seeing that a product was made locally can change their perspective. It makes the gift feel more intentional and thoughtful.

In uncertain times, sourcing locally is a practical strategy. It reduces reliance on complex global supply chains. It also builds trust with a customer base that increasingly cares about where their money goes. Choosing Australian-made cards is a small step. However, it is a meaningful way to win more business and support our local community.

The retail landscape is shifting beneath our feet. For many, the traditional newsagency model feels increasingly under pressure. Negative discourse in the press talks down the channel, leaving many business owners wondering about their long-term viability.

At newsXpress, we believe the path forward is not found by holding onto the past. It is found by intentionally decoupling your business from the “newsagency” label.

Transformation is not a buzzword; it is a measurable business strategy.

If your business still earns more than half of its gross profit from traditional lines like newspapers, magazines, stationery, greeting cards, or lotteries, you have not yet transformed. These traditional categories are stagnant. To secure a bright future, your growth engine must shift.

Here’s a new video from us about this: https://youtu.be/ECj8UhGRtxc

A genuinely transformed business generates the majority of its gross profit from non-traditional lines. This includes high-end gifts, homewares, collectibles, fashion, and books. When a customer steps into your shop, they should not immediately identify it as a traditional newsagency. The front of the shop must be dedicated to these modern product categories. Traditional items should be moved to the back or the sides, occupying less valuable floor space.

Many retailers mistakenly believe they have transformed when they have not.

If your social media still heavily promotes lottery draws, or if you still feature lollies and chewing gum at the counter, you are still operating with a traditional mindset. Even stocking a wall of tobacco or focusing heavily on parcel collection can keep you tethered to the old identity. True transformation means moving so far that you could put almost any sign above your door, and it would not look out of place.

We often look overseas for inspiration. The “general store” concept currently trending in the UK, Europe, and the US is a perfect example of this. It is not about selling groceries or convenience items. Instead, it is a clever approach to a curated gift shop. These stores present ranges of products that feel rare and unique. You might see only a few units of an item on the shelf, with a completely different category placed alongside it. It is about discovery and high-quality presentation.

We understand that change is difficult. You do not have to navigate this transition alone.

At newsXpress, we provide bespoke, business-by-business support. We help you make the changes you want to make, at a pace that fits your budget.

If you are ready to innovate, or if you simply want an honest opinion on your current progress, reach out to us. Let us help you build the future of your shop.

In retail we are often told to make it easy for customers from the moment they step through the front door. The standard advice is to keep the shop decluttered so shoppers can walk straight to the counter or key destinations.

Sometimes, breaking these rules leads to better results. We recently spoke with a retailer who turned this concept on its head. About a metre and a half into their shop, they placed a wide table. This table acts as a physical barrier. To move further into the store, customers must walk around it to either the left or the right. Check out this new short video from us: https://youtu.be/17oIUvhNRmc

The power of the detour

By making it slightly “harder” to navigate the shop, this retailer achieved something remarkable. They started selling more products.

When shoppers are forced to step around an obstacle, they naturally look at where they are going. This simple action draws their eyes to the table. On it, the retailer places items that shoppers might not have noticed otherwise. By thoughtfully displaying products with appropriate adjacencies, the table has become a destination in itself.

Executing the strategy well

A barrier only works if it is attractive. In this case, the table is well-presented and fits the aesthetic of a smart, well-run shop. Customers do not see it as a nuisance. Instead, they see it as an engaging display of interesting products.

This approach challenges the idea that a shop must always have an easy, straight path. By creating a small detour, you give your customers a reason to slow down. You give them a chance to discover something new.

Trust your instincts

Standard retail advice has its place, but it is not always right for every business. If you go against the grain and focus on high-quality execution, you can create a unique shopping experience.

This shop created a tremendous success by simply placing a table near the front door. It encouraged interaction and increased spend. If your current layout feels a bit too predictable, it might be time to experiment. Try adding a strategic “barrier” and see how your customers respond. You might find that a little bit of friction leads to a lot more sales.

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newsXpress supports small local independent retailers to thrive. Find out more at help@newsxpress.com.au.

Most newsagency owners have a number in their head. Most of the time, that number is often wrong.

A seller often names a figure they have been carrying around for years. A buyer’s accountant puts a different number on the table. The gap is often huge. That gap does not close quickly, and it is painful for everyone involved.

Understanding how your business is actually valued is useful.

What buyers actually look at

Buyers and their accountants look at maintainable earnings. Not what you hope to earn. Not what you earned in your best year. What the business has demonstrably and consistently earned after normalising out the things that do not reflect commercial reality.

That means: owner wages adjusted to market rate (if you pay yourself $40,000 to run a business that would cost $70,000 to replace you, the buyer adjusts for that); personal expenses run through the business; one-off revenue items that won’t repeat. What remains is the foundation of your valuation.

What multiples apply

A traditional newsagency — heavily reliant on lotteries and agency business s — might trade at 1 to 1.5 times maintainable earnings. A transformed store with strong gift, collectibles, or coffee revenue might attract 2 to 3 times.

The difference is risk. A buyer will pay more for diversified, less-declining revenue. Magazine and newspaper revenue has been declining for years. A buyer’s accountant knows this. They apply a risk discount to revenue that is structurally retreating.

A shop that has genuinely shifted its income mix — that earns solid margin from gifts, homewares, toys, cards, coffee, or a specialist category — carries a different risk profile. That translates to a better multiple.

Lottery terminal revenue

Lottery revenue is valuable. But buyers and their advisers know it carries digital migration risk. The Lottery Corporation has said publicly that digital is growing. A buyer in 2026 will not pay the same multiple on lottery revenue that a buyer would have paid in 2015.

This does not mean lottery revenue is worthless, far from it. If lottery is ninety percent of your earnings, that concentration is a risk factor. A buyer will price that in.

What destroys goodwill

Poor lease terms. Heavy reliance on the owner’s personal relationships with customers or suppliers. Inaccurate stock on hand. Staff who will almost certainly leave when you do. Unresolved disputes with suppliers. And the one that kills more deals than anything else: a P&L that tells a different story from the tax return.

If your financials are inconsistent, buyers do not just reduce their offer. Sometimes they walk.

What gets normalised out

Owner wages above or below market rate. Personal expenses run through the business — phone, car, travel, subscriptions. One-off revenue that won’t repeat. After normalisation, the number may look quite different from your trading figures.

Know your number before someone offers you one

Get an independent valuation before you engage a broker or start conversations with potential buyers. You will negotiate from a stronger position. You will not be surprised. And you will not accept something you later regret because you did not understand the basis for the offer.

The gap between what most sellers expect and what buyers will pay is real. The best way to close it is preparation and honest information — starting now.

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newsXpress supports small local independent retailers to thrive. Find out more at help@newsxpress.com.au.

Investing in a newsagency or any retail shop is a significant decision. The local retail landscape currently offers both unique opportunities and specific challenges. If you are considering stepping into business ownership, you must ensure the price you pay is justifiable.

To make an informed choice, you need a solid kit of information. Relying on emotion or a broker’s “magical” adjustments can be risky. Instead, focus on the facts and the evidence. Here’s a new video at our YouTube channel on this: https://youtu.be/VGVdhgT46LE

The documents you must request

When assessing a potential purchase, ask for these specific records. Ideally, all information should be provided at once, rather than dripfed.

• Financial Statements: Request the actual Profit and Loss (P&L) statements from the accounting software for the last three years. Avoid versions with heavy “ad-backs.”
• Sales Data: Ask for the sales data directly from the Point of Sale (POS) software. This should tie back directly to the P&L statements.
• Tax Returns: See what has been reported to the tax office over the same three-year period. This helps verify the accuracy of the narrative you are being told.
• Stock on Hand: You need a current figure and, crucially, an understanding of the age of the stock. It is reasonable to ask for a discount on any stock older than six months.
• Staff and Roster Details: Review the details of every employee, their length of service, and any accruals for long service leave or other obligations.

Determining the true value

A business is only worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. While a seller may have a specific number in mind based on what they paid years ago, that is not your responsibility to fix.

Consider how much the business relies on external factors. For newsagencies, look at the percentage of revenue coming from lotteries, newspapers, and magazines. These are sectors where traffic and revenue are often declining or migrating online. Factor these risks into your final valuation.

Making your offer

Once you have assessed the evidence, decide on a number that works for you. Ask yourself: “If I miss out on this business for 10% more than my offer, would I be upset?” If the answer is no, then stick to your number.

Past performance is an excellent indicator of future success. If a seller cannot provide factual, believable history, be skeptical. The people buying retail businesses today are the future of the industry. We want to see you start your journey on the best possible terms.

Buying a business requires a calm and thoughtful approach. Take your time, verify the data, and ensure your investment is built on a strong foundation.

help@newsxpress.com.au