Robert Cucciniello
Production and Circulation Manager, Ogden Publications
2010 AD ALL-STAR: NEWSSTAND
Through reader research and expanding its presence in retail stores, Cucciniello was able to significantly increase Mother Earth News’ single-copy sales in 2009.
Before 2008, single copies of Ogden Publications’ Mother Earth News could be found in the usual retail spots: Barnes & Noble, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. Ogden had a draw of about 100,000 at most stores, while only having 40,000 at Sam’s Club. But then Cucciniello and his team took a more aggressive approach.
“We didn’t want to pigeon-hole ourselves anymore and expect that our readers were only going to be in certain places,” he says. “So we did a few test runs at tractor supply stores, garden centers and convenience stores and it did phenomenally well.”
Cucciniello also increased Mother Earth News’ draw at both Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club stores. “We had one special issue that had a sell-through of 86 percent, which is crazy,” he says.
Regular issues currently sell through at about 48-50 percent, according to Cucciniello, while its special issues sell through at an average of 44 percent. And according to ABC, Mother Earth News had an 11.62 percent single copy sales increase during the second-half of 2009, a rare accomplishment for that period.
According to Cucciniello, no newsstand is too small, and if a mom-and-pop gardening center wants to carry MEN, it can. “That’s our bread and butter,” he says. “We’re succeeding at the big stores, but we’re also working hard to expand into small shops.”
Input from readers has also helped improve newsstand sales. Every Ogden title conducts an editorial survey. The entire process takes 6-7 weeks, and once it’s over, another one begins. “We’ll send them a series of images to find out what they like, then we’ll ask them what they think of certain sell lines or sentences,” he says. “Every single issue, whether it’s a special issue or a regular one, is surveyed.”
Impressively, Ogden has been able to increase its cover price by $1 without any drop-off. “The lesson is that people will pay for perceived value,” Cucciniello says. “If I can get an 86 percent sell-through for MEN at a cost of $6.99 per copy, then it’s definite proof that print is not dead and neither is the newsstand.”
Vital Stats: Mother Earth News’ single-copy sales increased by 11.62 percent during the second-half of 2009, according to ABC.
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