Most of the challenges successful independent retailers face in the UK are the same as those faced by retailers in Australia.  In addition, many of the areas that will impact retailers significantly, such as tobacco legislation, are already being more strictly controlled ‘down under’. This is why its always a pleasure to hear from our Aussie retailer friends.

It is with this in mind that Better Retailing is pleased to welcome Mark Fletcher to our blogging team.

Mark Fletcher started his own EPoS company, Tower Systems in 1981, when he wrote an accounting program for newsagents on his kitchen table.

To ensure that he and his software development team understood what news retailers needed to manage their businesses effectively, he bought a newsagents 1996. Since then his interest in the newsagency channel has continued to grow as he became a part-owner and working director of NewsXpress in 2005.

NewsXpress is a franchise marketing group for independent newsagency and has 180 members across Australia. He also writes his blog Australian Newsagency Blog where he has posted more than 10,000 pieces of advice, guidance and criticism since 2005. He is a passionate advocate for the newsagency channel.

Mark is joining Better Retailing and will be bringing management tips, insights and his thoughts on the challenges to the newsagency channel that the changing economic, technological and social environment is bringing to our door step.