Newsagent

Retail & Hospitality

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Service or PersuadingClerical or OrganisingSkill Level 1Skill Level 2Skill Level 3

Newsagents operate newsagencies which sell newspapers, magazines and other items such as greeting cards, stationery, books, toys and confectionery. They may also sell lottery tickets, telecommunication products, coupons and Australia Post products. Future Growth Static

ANZSCO ID: 142111

Knowledge, skills and attributesNewsagent Stand

  • Have a good knowledge of products and sales procedures.
    Be friendly, helpful, polite and hardworking.
  • Be able to lead and motivate other members of staff.
  • Have good spoken and written communication skills.
  • Be organised, able to take responsibility and make decisions.
  • Be able to stay calm and cheerful during busy periods.
  • Be able to deal effectively with problems and complaints.
  • Have a clear knowledge of legal and security issues.
  • Have relevant business skills.enjoy working with people
  • a helpful, courteous manner
  • neat personal appearance
  • able to deal accurately with money
  • motivation and drive
  • good problem-solving skills
  • willing to work as part of a team

Duties and Tasks

Newsagents may perform the following tasks:News rack

  • receive early morning deliveries of newspapers and arrange home delivery to customers within their area
  • distribute supplies of magazines and newspapers to milk bars and paper sellers within their area
  • price goods, re-stock shelves and arrange displays, re-order stock and check the change in the cash register
  • serve customers
  • use a cash register to record prices, produce receipts and provide change for customers
  • supervise staff
  • prepare monthly accounts
  • negotiate with sales representatives for new products
  • act as agents for classified advertisements for newspaper organisations
  • act as agents for dry-cleaners
  • clean and dust the shop.
  • advise customers on the location, selection, price, delivery, use and care of goods available from the store, with the aim of encouraging them to buy and to return to buy in the future
     
  • operate cash registers and accept payment, or prepare finance arrangements (invoices and contracts, for example)
     
  • take special orders for items not currently in stock, or not normally stocked, and notify customers when the items have arrived
     
  • package goods for customers and arrange delivery
     
  • price, stack and display items for sale and keep the store tidy and attractive
     
  • be aware of health, safety and welfare issues and practices
     
  • participate in stocktaking (counting and describing the goods in stock)
     
  • arrange for the repair of damaged goods or advise on needed repairs
     
  • order items.

Working conditions

Newsagents normally start work around 6 am Monday to Sunday, so that they can receive daily newspaper/magazines and organise any home deliveries. Their shops usually close around 6 pm, or 7.30 pm if they sell Lottery tickets. Some newsagents close on Sunday afternoons. The manager and staff work shifts to cover these hours. Some individual businesses are run by families, so working hours are flexible and sorted out on a day-to-day basis.

Work is indoors in a busy, often noisy, environment, and involves a lot of standing and, sometimes, bending and stretching when displaying goods or showing them to customers. Many shops and stores provide uniforms.

Tools and Technologies

They need to know how to use tills and any other equipment available, such as the Lottery machine, a photocopier, a post office weighing and pricing machine. They must also be aware of strict laws concerning sales of certain products, e.g. cigarettes and lottery tickets should not be sold to people under 16.

Newsagents often receive visits from sales representatives of companies wanting them to stock their products.

 

Education and training/entrance requirements

There are no set academic requirements to become a newsagent, although, as the job involves a lot of paperwork and number work, Maths and English are useful, as is experience of working with customers, particularly in retail. Many newsagents run their own business or are self-employed.

Did You Know?

Two newspaper owners (News and Fairfax) [in Australia] accounted for 86% of newspaper sales in Australia in 2011, as compared to 54% for the top two newspaper owners in the United Kingdom and a lowly 14% for the top two in the United States.

But it is important to note that this concentration of newspaper circulation exists at a time when the overall number of newspaper sales is declining. Newspaper sales per 100 Australians were 9.7 in 2011, as compared to 21.9 in 1987 and 13.0 in 2000.
(Source: The Conversation)

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