Just In Case You Forgot: Why Plan O Grams Dont Work. Part wev

Quick post today. I'm still in the middle of budgeting hell.

I've mentioned it in the past, I think we often do a pretty poor job of merchandising our magazines at retail. We also seem to fail at marketing our magazines to the public.

As an industry, we need to give people a reason to stop what they're doing and buy our stuff.

But this just ain't going to work.

I took this shot at a major chain bookstore that just escaped a Board of Directors overhaul from hell. This open spot was right at eye level on the front row of the first magazine rack. So when you walked in the front door, turned right to head towards the cafe, there it was, staring at you right in the eye.

Why does this happen? It's easy to blame it on the retailer. They don't train their staff to properly merchandise the rack. So some poor kid firmly who'd rather be working the register believes that the magazine that's labeled in that spot absolutely, positively, has to be there. After all, that's the way it is at the check out and on the promo wings. Right?

I lay the blame firmly at our feet. We publishers need to do a better job. We need to make our case better. We need get upfront with our distributors, wholesalers and retailers in showing them the best ways to merchandise our product.

This simple mathematical forumla explains it all:

Uncovered wood = No Retail $'s sold.

It's that simple.

And, yes, I did talk to the merchandising clerk and was politely told that that the only magazine that can go in a marked spot is the magazine that is marked for that spot.

Sigh....