Lucid Direct has launched the first magazine subscriptions scheme that gives, rather than takes, customers and sales to news retailers.

Founder Richard Lamb told Better Retailing that retailersubscription.ie launched last week in Ireland with plans to launch in the UK later this year. Its aim is to “offer retailers a means of competing with subscriptions”.

The initial launch title was TV magazine RTE Guide, with more titles to be added this month. Customers get seven editions for the price of five and, unlike existing direct-to-door subscriptions, customers download a voucher to be redeemed in participating Supervalu and Centra stores.

Retailers demand magazine publishers offer in-store subscriptions

The scheme follows retailer complaints that adverts direct-to-door subscriptions – such as those in the Radio Times – take sales from the very retailers publishers rely on to stock their titles.

Lamb said: “The idea is to expand it out to the top-100 titles and then into more niche titles, so people can buy and nominate their store to redeem the voucher in.

“We will then communicate with wholesalers who will deliver the respective magazine to the store.”