Do you sell many copies of TV Choice magazine? How many do you have to sell to make it worthwhile? And don’t all shout at once.
David Robinson, who runs Lingwood Post Office & Stores in Norfolk, has cancelled his supplies of the mag, writing to its publisher to explain: “It is simply not worth selling an item for just 20p.”
He adds: “If we continue to sell for less and less we will soon be unable to pay our fixed costs and will be closing the doors once and for all. I am sure that my regular customers will support us in this stance and buy an alternative publication. Let’s face it, if only one out of eight buys a Radio Times instead, I will have made the same money.”
And he concludes: “I sell 16 copies of TV Choice a week so I realise that this is not going to represent a huge dent in your circulation figures. However, I will be encouraging my supplier and his other newsagents to take a similar stance with the hope that it may encourage you to change your mind on this pricing policy.”
David explained to me that his supplier is a sub-agent, buying from Menzies and then distributing to other small stores in his area.
Because he is a ‘sub-contractor’ David only makes 18.5%. “In this region, Radio Times is £1.60, so my profit is 30p. TV Choice (and its new rival TV Pick, also with a 20p cover price) yields short of 4p!”
He only opens for a couple of hours on a Sunday to sell papers. “If I sell £45-worth then I’ve done well and will make £8.32. I couldn’t get anyone to work for me for two hours for that. This situation has been worsened by the demise of the News of the World, which sold at £1 to be replaced by the Sunday Sun at a measly 50p.”
The good news: “My supplier has told me he will be supporting me on this issue and ceasing supply of TV Choice.”
