Regional wholesalers represent France Messagerie in the area that they have been mandated to distribute exclusively.
France Messagerie delivers the press to them every day to be distributed to retailers in their geographical area.
They are responsible for distributing the press, for managing the financial flows and the retail network in their area. They are also responsible for coordinating detailed information on the newsagents in their area.
France Messagerie’s Network Relations team supports press wholesalers in their daily tasks. The monthly review of performance indicators enables them to measure the activity in the different areas and to define together actions to be implemented.
In addition, France Messagerie provides them with customized solutions to facilitate their daily work.
Logistics: titles delivered on time across France
The wholesalers are key players in the performance of the sales of titles entrusted to them by our publishers. They are responsible for delivering to all of the sales outlets in their area before their opening time. In order to do so, France Messagerie implements a high-level logistics system that ensures real-time management of logistics and transport operations, enabling just-in-time delivery of newspapers and magazines to all 60 wholesalers in France. This enables the delivery of the 20,000 sales points in France before their opening time.
France Messagerie also entrusts the wholesalers with the recovery and control of unsold copies from the newsagents. These operations are essential to guarantee the proper management of financial flows, the remuneration of the agents and to improve the sales data. The information system enables them to ensure accurate reporting.
Commercial: the press available all over the country
The wholesalers are in charge of maintaining and developing the retail network: everyone in France must have convenient access to the press.
The wholesaler supports the development of press outlets. The wholesaler also guarantees the implementation of regulatory rules for the benefit of newsagents: contracts, interprofessional regulatory process…
The wholesaler also monitors the commercial follow-up of the titles, which includes compliance with Publishers’ instructions and the implementation of restocking ordered by the newsagents.
Finance: monitoring physical and financial flows on a weekly basis
The wholesalers have the status of del credere agents. In this regard, they are responsible for ensuring that the financial flows from newsagents are passed on to them and for invoicing and collecting of payments from the retailers.
The agents are paid a commission that is calculated as a percentage of the face value of the titles sold (retail price).
Unsold titles remain the property of the publishers. They are either destroyed – and recycled – or taken back by France Messagerie for restitution to the publishers. The reliability of the return of unsold copies is therefore a key element for calculating the remuneration of press distribution stakeholders. It is also a determining factor in qualifying sales and optimising quantity adjustments.
Reliability of the network reference system: adapting the supply of each newsagent
The wholesalers are responsible for updating the reference database of the press retail network. The quality of the information contained in this repository – administrative, accounting and commercial data such as location, opening or closing day, shelf space, etc. – is essential: this is what makes it possible to deliver the right quantity of newspapers to the right place at the right time.
To update the reference system, the wholesalers use the information system software that France Messagerie provides.
In addition, this data enables publishers to optimally adjust the retail allocation of newspapers and magazines to be distributed.