Launch of the week
Hachette says its new partwork, which focuses on the hugely popular Warhammer 40,000 tabletop wargame, will generate £630.20 per customer, so get it in for your customers
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest
On sale 29 August
Frequency weekly
Price £1.99 (1st issue), £4.99 (2nd issue), £7.99 (subsequent issues)
Distributor Marketforce
Display with Warhammer 40k: Legends Coll’n, 2000 AD: The Ultimate Coll’n, Assassin’s Creed: The Official Coll’n
A 31-year-old tabletop wargame produced by British company Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000 is set in a dystopian sci-fi fantasy universe. The company made £158.1m revenue in 2017, so it’s no surprise Hachette continues to revisit that franchise when launching partworks.
Warhammer 40,000: Conquest is a collection of figurines composed of 80 different miniatures and models from the sci-fi universe, and every issue includes a model alongside brushes or paints with helpful guides on how to use them. Hachette expects each complete collection to wield £630.20 in retailer revenue per customer, so make the most of this launch.
This week in My week in magazines we take a look at how partwork magazines can drive long-term revenue
Supercars
On sale 29 August
Frequency fortnightly
Price £2.99 (1st issue), £5.99 (2nd issue), £10.99 (subsequent issues)
Distributor Marketforce
Display with Warhammer 40,000 Conquest
- The new collection by Panini features die-cast metal scale models of some of the world’s greatest supercars, including Ferraris and Aston Martins.
- The first issue includes a 2013 LaFerrari, and the whole collection is expected to generate £646 in RSV per customer.
Practical Photography
On sale 30 August
Frequency monthly
Price £5.49
Distributor Frontline
Display with Amateur Photographer, Outdoor Photography, Digital Camera
- A specialist photography magazine that includes photoshoot tutorials, camera reviews and advice about how to adjust cameras to get the best shots.
- October’s issue includes a free DVD with nearly two hours of official Adobe Photoshop CC tutorials and a one-month Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan, worth £9.98.
Classic Cars
On sale out now
Frequency monthly
Price £4.80
Distributor Frontline
Display with Classic & Sports Car, The Automobile, Classic Car Weekly
- A motoring magazine dedicated to old cars that has been providing reviews, restoration tips and bespoke features since 1973.
- The September edition is the best-selling issue of the year for Classic Cars, and includes a 27-page supplement about the 30 classic cars predicted to jump up in price in 2019.
Majesty
On sale out now
Frequency monthly
Price £3.50
Distributor Intermedia
Display with Royal Life, Royalty
- A collectable women’s interest magazine focused on all royal families across Europe, including the UK’s.
- l It includes features, photographs and articles about the latest happenings regarding British and European royalties, from weddings and births to travels and visits.
Carpworld
On sale out now
Frequency monthly
Price £4.75
Distributor Seymour
Display with Carp-Talk, Total Carp, Carpology
- A fishing magazine dedicated to carp, Carpworld has gear reviews, fishing spots and tips about how to fish the freshwater fish species.
- Carpworld’s September issue marks 30 years of existence, and comes with a special embossed cover on heavyweight matte paper and a number of themed competitions.
This Is Unicorn Universe
On sale out now
Frequency monthly
Price £4.99
Distributor Marketforce
Display with Sparkle, Pink, Go Girl, Girl Talk
- This children’s magazine is aimed at unicorn fans aged between seven and 10.
- The new issue features quizzes, stories and activities about unicorns and comes with a free paint-your-own unicorn set.
The Automobile
On sale out now
Frequency monthly
Price £5.50
Distributor Intermedia
Display with Classic Cars, Motorsport
- The Automobile stands out from other classic car magazines by offering researched, in-depth articles about the cars featured, including photographs, technical drawings and artwork.
- This month’s issue looks at the Ferrari 250 GT, as well as a Bugatti Type 53 4×4 and a 1932 MG 18/80 coupe.
Airsoft International
On sale 30 August
Frequency monthly
Price £4.50
Distributor Frontline
Display with T3, Stuff, Men’s Fitness
- This hobbyist publication is aimed at fans of the shooting sport and includes gear reviews as well as reports and news about the latest happenings in airsoft.
- This month’s edition includes a free Union Jack patch.
Puzzler Collection
On sale out now
Frequency monthly
Price £3.50
Distributor Marketforce
Specialist Choice
Joe Sweeney, News Centre, Donaghmede
Who buys it?
It’s usually bought by shoppers aged between 30 and 60 – but this summer, all kinds of people. Puzzle magazines in general have been selling really well for us this summer.
How do you display it?
I keep them on a floor display by the magazine section throughout the whole of summer.
My week in magazines
Drive long-term revenue with new partworks
Partworks have experienced a revival over the past year, with several titles launching and many others doing well. This month alone, four different partworks are entering the market, including the ever-profitable car miniatures collections, a Deadpool comic book series and the niche War-hammer 40,000 universe.
According to publisher Hachette, the partworks market grew 7.7% between 2017 and 2018 – a welcome change of pace compared to the declining magazine market. Physical collections offer something internet content can’t provide, giving retailers a somewhat reliable source of income if they manage to snag even a couple of loyal buyers.
It is important to not ignore partworks, largely because they offer the potential of long-term revenue. There are steps retailers can take to maximise sales, including offering to save future issues or order back issues and continuing to advertise partworks for two weeks after launch instead of returning unsold copies early. With a little bit of research and clever positioning of both old and new titles, newsagents can turn the dedicated fans of those niche collections into loyal repeat customers.
