Freesheets only take up valuable space
Regional newspapers form an important part of many retailers' weekly sales, so why jeopardise these sales by putting freesheets on your shelves, says the CSNA
Print18 January 2011
Every week retailers in hundreds of villages and towns throughout Ireland receive their ‘local’ paper. Some of these publishers, such as Independent Newspapers, Johnson Press, Thomas Crosbie Holdings, and Celtic Media are the publishers of a number of titles; others are the publishers of a single title.
The CSNA has been struck by the quantities of supply that local shops receive (and sell). In many cases, the delivery exceeds the quantities sold in the entire week for many of the daily papers. Regional newspapers are an important part of many retailers’ weekly sales, with most titles having a RRP of €2.
As retailers, we cannot and should not take for granted the importance that these products have for our businesses. It is of great concern to the CSNA to note the fall in circulation that many of these titles are suffering from, due to a combination of changed demographics, local radio and advent of competing ‘freesheets’. As retailers, the first two difficulties are beyond our ability to reverse, but we can, must and should combat the threat to your business that freesheets pose.
Putting it simply, you are foolish to allow any product into your store if it does not contribute to your profitability. Freesheets not only prevent the sale of a product that does help you, it takes up space in your store, it siphons advertising away from the local paper and it ultimately strangles the existing title. 2010 saw the demise of five local papers, each of them giving a return to retailers – don’t let 2011 be the year when your local paper dies. Kick out freesheets.
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