Well as I said in what is already a highly competitive office stationery market another major player Harvey Norman is preparing to enter. They are opening one office supplies store immediately to compete with Officeworks and probably another within a year. Then if all goes to plan, which never happens, there will be a planned a national store rollout of 50 shops. I know one of the representatives of one of the larger stationery companies is already planning to talk with them.
Probably the worst part to my clients will be the effect of the competition between the two big chains. Although I do also expect a repeat of about thirteen years ago when many of our clients were worried about where these officeworks shops were going up, now we will see a repeat with Harvey Norman stationery stores.
It just means that we have to service our clients better, get our technology right and get better.
And while about getting better why don’t newsagents going to the GNS shows bring up with GNS representative the following email sent by VANA and please note that this email was dated 21/11/2005 on 08:21 AM to GNS.
It is important to work together with GNS to overcome these issues so we as a group can achieve success against Officeworks and now Harvey Norman.
Jason,
Is there any progress on these issues raised after the Penninsula
Regional Meeting?Regards
Peter CowleyHi Jason,
Many thanks to yourself and Frank, for presenting to our members at the recent Regional Group Meetings. As a result of these meetings, members raised several issues that we would like you to follow up on and advise of the status. If we can be of any assistance is progressing these matters please do not hesitate to touch base.
Improving Store Layout
With the stationery department the most subject to discretion in terms of layout and with the plethora of new owners over recent times, it
would be very beneficial to help members with pictures of great / suggested stationery layouts (perhaps these could be put on your website). The Magazine Publishers of Aust has recently begun piloting category layouts throughout Australia.Improving Processors
Some workshops or Facts At A Glance documentation to encourage newsagents to use greater efficiency in their operations would be a great initiative.
Topics could cover:
-receipting stock into their business electronically
-adopting shelf labels.
-automatic reordering
-getting the most out of internet orderingTechnical Issues
Barcodes: use inner barcodes rather than outer in the ddo files
Turnover orders trade show stock receipt: this needs improving.
Presently newsagents only receive a packing slip, which makes it near-on impossible to invoice in properly and subsequently the stock is delayed onto the shelves
I bet all these things will happen at the Harvey Norman shop.
