To the lotto the newspaper, please
Press Distribution: Single-copy sales of Swiss print media are declining at an alarming rate. And this has been the case for years. A long-term comparison by the K Group demonstrates this for the first time with crystal clarity.
Decline in retail sales of Swiss print media
Retail sales of Swiss print media have been declining for years, as a long-term comparison by the K Group shows. Newsstand sales of print media have been declining for a long time, which caused a shock at the annual meeting of the Swiss Advertisers Association (SWA). According to Valora CEO Reto Hartmann, press sales have fallen sharply in recent years. The volume of sales of press products fell from over CHF 530 million in 1995 to just under CHF 490 million in 2002, a decline of CHF 40 million or eight percent.
Kiosk as a popular shopping destination
Despite the decline in press sales, the K Group was able to increase its total turnover from CHF 1.39 billion in 1995 to CHF 1.64 billion in 2002, thanks to growth in tobacco products and confectionery. Sales of the largest daily newspapers have fallen particularly sharply. Since 1998, the number of copies sold daily has fallen by 80 percent. Without "Blick", which traditionally sells many copies via the newsstand, this figure would be even lower.
Strategies against the loss of sales
To counteract the loss of sales, Hartmann recommends optimizing the cover story and the design of the front page. Publishers should also set the first day of sales of a title on a day with high customer frequency, such as Wednesday, which attracts many customers due to the Wednesday lottery. This strategy enabled "HandelsZeitung" to double its newsstand sales.
Share of print media sales at newsstands
The share of newspapers in newsstand sales remains the highest at 32.7%, but fell by 3.96% last year. The share of sales accounted for by novels and puzzle magazines developed positively, growing by 3.78%. The variety of press titles makes newsstands attractive, but only a small number of titles generate the majority of sales. Around 49 titles account for 50 percent of press sales, while the remaining 3,512 titles only contribute 20 percent.
SWA reduces membership fees
The SWA gained 26 new members last year, including Roche and Ford Motor Company. Due to the growing number of members, membership fees can be reduced by five percent from 2004. The number of participants at the annual meeting also rose to 187.
