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support your local newsagent

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20 June 2011 at 13:30 #31073
Iain Exley
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@iainexley10810
I have had real difficulties in getting copies of the wonderful special issues that the magazine produces, where I live, I have a monthly order with my local newsagent for the regular issues of the magazine, which I collect from his shop the day after it is published.

A great service and one that the magazine publishers take advantage of as the shop offers them a display base for existing and any new magazines. We have all seen them on display ‘build the bismark, 1st issue’ massive publicity and all provided at point of sale in the public eye.

but….. and here is where I put on my moany face….when it comes to the specials, we find our local agent unable to get copies as they are all marked ‘exclusive to w h smith’

Now for me that is a return journey of nearly 30 miles.

I am aware that if I call the number listed on the magazine I can have it delivered but I will have to listen to a sales pitch about the savings and convenience of subscription blah blah….. not the point i want to support my local newsagent he has ordered and kept all of the previous magazines but is denied the specials…. this cannot be right, or am I being niave
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20 June 2011 at 13:30 #7922
Iain Exley
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@iainexley10810
20 June 2011 at 15:11 #31075
Paul Freshney
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@paulfreshney24971
The Special to which you refer – namely the recent Construction Special guest edited by Colin Bishop, was produced as a result of an exclusive contract between MyHobbyStore and W H Smith that meant it was only available from selected branches of W H Smith (and they decided which stores should stock it) and also direct from MyHobbyStore. This is why it had ‘Exclusive to W H Smith’ on the pre-sale adverts.

Thus it could not be sold via independent retailers.

Such exclusive contracts are common in this publishing industry as well as others. If it had not been exclusive, and there was a special financial consideration with WH Smith for it, then it would not have been produced at all.

You could have ordered online from MyHobbyStore as you have access to the internet which would have avoided using the telephone. Some 600 copies were sold that way.

The MB Winter Special which comes out in November, edited by me, is actually a 13th regular issue as we operate on a 4 week cycle and there are 52 weeks in the year. That issue is distributed through the news trade in the normal way.

Paul Freshney

Editor.
23 June 2011 at 12:25 #31127
Iain Exley
Participant
@iainexley10810
thank you for that information Paul . I am also aware that the distributor for w h smith in my area is John Menzies who are also the distribution agents for the local newsagents so i still cannot agree that the best way forward is for w h smith to have that exclusivity….however i must accept that that is the way it must be, and search diligently for the issues as and when they appear
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