Sunday, June 8, 2008

Mid Year Sale

This week we will re arrange the front end to set up a display for the Mid Year Stationery Sale. The previous owners did not send out brochures to the people of Churchill but, I have arranged tor the distribution to all 1800 homes in the vicinity to receive the colour brochures. I have great confidence that with our extended hours and good displays can create something well worth doing.

On Wednesday, 25Th June, I have arranged for Southern Shopfitters to move our Lottery section to the other end of the counter and therefore creating a lottery front window corner to combine Tattersalls and the 1st July release of Intralot. The new Company that will provide us with new scratches and other games for our customers to try their luck.

Talking of luck how about the lucky winners from Reservoir who won 58 Million dollars. Sales last week were a record and continued on from the previous week.

The shopping cart for the website has not been completed but I intend tomake sure this week. I received a comment that I need to have a $50.00 fee for small orders. I don't think that will be necesary as this is a service industry and the Churchill Newsagency is big on service and will carry rhat cost.

I have installed Microsoft Excel program on the front Computer whch will allow staff to take order lists for Stationery, Mid Year Sale, Ink Cartridges, Magazines and Part Works. No more looking for the order book or writing a note on a scrappy bit of paper. From now on it is straight on the Computer. At the touch of a few key strokes I can print a list or copy to another program and order stock in. The same principle has been adopted by all staff in relation to stops and starts of newspapers. No more doing changes late in the day, just print the rounds and everything done. Some newsagents I disagreebut if you trust staff to accept payments what is the difference with stops and starts. If trained properley then it becomes second nature after a week.

More next week as I hope I can report all the good sales from the Mis Year Sale.

Sunday, June 1, 2008

What a week

This past week I have been at the Gold Coast at the Australian Newsagents Federation Annual Conference. Good and bad were my observation on how Newsagents must learn to be proactive and involve their Newsagency with the Internet. It was obvious that in the future Newsagencies are not going to be around if they think that they can continue to profit from their business by relying on Newspapers and magazines sales. It was quoted at the Newsagency Conference that in the top 10 Magazines only one magazines had an increase.

By the end of next week, I intend to have a shopping cart attached to the website where people and companies can shop for stationery on line and have it home delivered for free.

Next week I am awaiting my supplies and brochures for the Mid Yera Stationery Sale. My predecessor never sent brochures out to customes, so I am looking forward to the response I get from the brocures that I send out.

Monday, May 26, 2008

Welcome

Welcome to the Churchill Newsagency blog. My name is Garry Goodman and I am the proprietor of the Newsagency. I have been involved in the Newsagegency Industry for the past forty five years firstly as a delivery boy and also selling newspapers at the local drive in theatre on Saturday nights.

On leaving School, I worked for a Newsagent full time in close by Camberwell learning more of the ropes of running a Newsagency. From there I worked with Southdown Press who distributed New Idea, TV Week and The Australian newspaper. Next stop was Valentine Greeting Cards (now John Sands) where I used my selling techniques as a sales representative.

In 1980 I purchased my first Newsagency at Cranbourne which is 50 kms south east of Melbourne. I had twenty wonderfull years there but in 1990 it was time to move on. For the pst 10 yars I have worked as a relieving Newsagent at various Newsagencies in Victoria.

In October, 2007 I purchased the Churchill Newsagency which is 160 kms east of Melbourne.

That is enought about me. This blog is for the world to talk about the Churchill Newsagency on how we can improve things or assist you on line. The Newsagency is open seven days a week however the world has changed so I have to and so with the assitance of our website www.churchillnewsagency.com.au we are now open 24 hours 7 days a week.

Although we trade as Churchill Newsagency we are more than that. We sell newspapers, magazines, stationery, gifts, greeting cards and lottery products.

I look forward to your comments as I intend to make this blog working every day.