Task 5: Magazine Newsstand task / Distribution of Magazines

Task 5

Part A-

For this task, I decided to go to a local newsagent as I thought that they would have more magazines than a normal supermarket, as newsagents would sell more magazines than a supermarket.

In this newsagent, I first see the different magazines they have on different shelves. On the bottom shelf, they have childrens magazines, on the shelf above that they have lifestyle magazines and also soap magazines full of gossip. The shelf above that is known as the eyeline shelf and It has all music/mainstream media magazines. When looking at this shelf, I needed to consider the layout.

Typically the method of organising magazines where very competitive and publishers fought to have their magazine on the eyeline shelf and at the front. Previously, shop owners would measure 12cm between each magazine so that the customers could see the teasers/cover lines, but in this news agent this was not the case. I ask the shop owner what was the method of the organisation of the magazines on the eyeline shelf and he said, that is no longer about the competitiveness of the different publishers, but its about merchandising the best sellers, meaning that they promote the magazines that customers normally buy from this news agent.

I found that the magazines that customers normally buy are XXL and MOJO. These magazines have been put right in the middle of the eyeline shelf and have been placed right at the front. I also noticed that while other magazines only have 2 or three copies in the shop, XXL and MOJO have several copies along the eyeline shelf. 

Part B-

distribution methods

For the distribution methods I have chosen to use the magazine XXL as this was one of the main magazines in this newsagent. 

For this magazine, it does not only have a paper version, but it uses many other media technologies to appeal to its main target audience. As XXL's main target audience lays in the age category from 20-29 its uses mainstream technology to reach them. One media technology they use is a website, which allows the target audience to view the articles online while they browse the internet.

They also have an app which allows the target audience to have the e-mag on the go.