KPI's

We have bought the KPI section back, the numbers are interesting and look accurate at the moment (please note we can't easily audit these figures).

Firstly they illustrate the incredible difference between the AU and the NZ lockdowns where Australian stores have been allowed to continue online and with click and collect while NZ stores were completely shut down for most of April.

The -27% drop in Australia would be eye watering in normal circumstances but it is an impressive achievement given the circumstances. Importantly Australia has shown that you can continue to trade and keep infection rates down.

Sales in March/April 2019 vs. March/April 2020:

• Australia: +2/-27%
• New Zealand: +3/-88%

The next set of figures will be very interesting, we will be looking to see if NZ stores can bounce back to a level similar to Australia now that New Zealand is out of L4 lockdown and with restrictions similar to Australia.

Will the customers come back or does a total lockdown cause customers to become disconnected from shops? 

Best Sellers during Covid-19

March

‘The Mirror & the Light’ was new to the best sellers list in March and went straight to #1 with 2930 units sold.

‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ went to #2 with 1204 sales, up 161 units from last month. ‘The Good Turn’  jumped to #3 with 1120 books sold, up 807 units from last month.

‘Dark Emu: Aboriginal Australia and the Birth of Agriculture’ now sits at #9, 674 copies sold in March, down 414 units.

Interestingly, there are four 'Bluey' titles in the top sellers list this month, their total sales would take them to #2 if combined. Watch out world, International Emmy one moment, #1 next? 

See the complete Top 50 for March

April

‘A Bigger Picture (Malcolm Turnbull, HB)’ was #1 in April with 1762 units sold. ‘Phosphorescence: On Awe, Wonder and Things That Sustain You When the World Goes Dark’ was #2 with 1243 sales. ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ dropped one spot to #3 with 1077 sales, down 127 units on last month.

More on Bluey... the combined sales of the six ‘Bluey’ titles in the top 50 are greater than Malcolm Turnbull’s ‘A Bigger Picture’.

See the complete Top 50 for April

Development in March and April

March and April saw a pivot in direction with demand for development move from backoffice to website as lockdowns forced shops online.

Over this period we have completed work in progress followed by a move to new web-oriented improvements. Stocktake and label printing improvements, an improved agency change interface with TitlePage publisher lookup and the first sites moved to the new rails 4 servers.

In April we have been able to deliver a new mobile interface (email support if you would like to try this feature) and start on improved web order fulfilment, a Tyro ecommerce gateway and TitlePage data feed. 

Next - continuing with 

• New item base web order fulfilment to make filling web orders faster and easier
• Tyro e-commerce gateway option for credit card payments
• New streamlined web checkout
• TitlePage data feed
• Infrastructure and system upgrades 

See all Improvements in March here

See all Improvements in April here 

Nielsen Feed

We have worked out a deal with Nielsen that will allow us to offer Nielsen data to shops again. The shops that want it will need to pay and the cost will depend on the number of stores that take up the offer. The more that take it up the cheaper it will be. Email sales@circlesoft.net to register your interest. 

Warwick Schaffer

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*photo is the swing that Daddy built for Lockdown relief (across the road from home)