Franchising

FAQ


Why should I buy a Supanews Franchise?
Supanews has a proven business model which has helped the company establish a network of newsagencies throughout Queensland, New South Wales, ACT & Victoria. It is the fastest growing full business franchise newsagency chain in Australia. The Supanews concept is attractive to consumers and suppliers alike, providing great service in fantastic store environments in high profile shopping centre locations.

 
Why should I choose a franchise instead of starting my own business?
Starting a new business can be very risky. By purchasing a franchise you can reduce the risk to some extent as you are buying a business with an established, successful business concept.  In addition, you receive a comprehensive business and marketing system, ongoing support, advice and training from us.

 
How do I find a location?
In most cases Supanews will have a site already selected and will have operated from the site for a period of time before offering it to franchise.  This allows you to review actual trading information.

 
How long has Supanews been in business?
Senior management has been involved in the newsagency industry since the 1970s.  The Supanews brand began in 1992 and traded for 12 years as a privately owned company.  In 2004 Supanews opened its first franchised stores.

 
Will I need to deliver papers?
No.  The Supanews concept focuses on high turnover shopping centre locations.  Supanews stores are retail only businesses.  This means that your customer come to you and that there is no need for you to deliver papers early in the morning.

 
What are the trading hours?
Most Supanews stores are located within shopping centres and as such their trading hours are closely aligned to the centres hours.  On average most stores are open from 8.30am to 5.30pm.

 
How do I get my magazines & papers?
Magazines and papers will be delivered directly to the shopping centre and will be stored by the delivery contractor in a secure location prescribed by Supanews.  Stock is then collected from this location and taken in the store.  Magazines will be delivered 3 days a week and newspapers will be delivered everyday.

 
Am I required to work in the store?
Yes. At Supanews we believe that the most successful franchises are those which are run by the actual owner of the store.  We also believe that the best head-start you can give your business is to commit yourself to it and fully understand every aspect of the operation.  It is important to Supanews that you want to pursue an active involvement in the franchise and do not want to obtain the franchise purely as an investment opportunity.

 
I would like to own a franchise with my business partner.  Is this acceptable?
Supanews does not encourage partnerships.  We believe the best company structures are those made up of single applicants, spouses or siblings.  There are lots of  stories where things have gone wrong that have led us to feel this way, it’s just that we like to take preventative measures.

 
What do I receive for my initial fee?
The Initial Franchise Fee grants you the right to use the valuable intellectual property that makes up the Supanews Franchise model and access to the best suppliers, marketing concepts and systems to maximise the operation of your own business.  The fee also covers Supanews' costs for your initial training, store set up, printing, travel and other costs.

 
What is the Franchise Royalty?
The purpose of the Royalty is to remunerate us, (the Franchisor), for the on-going services we provide to you, such as:
 
  • Training and monitoring
  • Concept and product development
  • Manual updates
  • Access to products from Supanews preferred suppliers
  • Franchise Development Reviews aimed to assist you in making your business more effective and profitable
  • The benefit of group purchasing power
  • Ongoing advice and support
  • Management of the Supanews system and its franchisees
 
The Franchise Royalty is set as a percentage of your turnover so that we only benefit as you do.

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What is the Marketing Fee?
The purpose of the Marketing Fee is to pool the marketing contributions in a fund for all franchisees to maximise any possible benefits.
 
We are required to use the Marketing Fee to promote the franchise network. Promotional activities may include media advertising, website development, promotional offers and the costs of producing Supanews promotional material and the costs of administering the marketing fund.

 
Will I have an exclusive Territory?
Yes.  The size of the territory will depend on the location of your store.

  
How long is the training and when does it occur?
Initial training is held in Brisbane on a monthly basis and will last for around four weeks.  Successful completion of the training course is compulsory prior to the opening of your own business.  Your travel and accommodation cost are covered in your initial franchise fee.
Ongoing training and development also forms an important part of the Supanews franchise and regular workshops are run by the field team.

 
When I open for business will I be left on my own?
No.  A newsagency is a relatively complicated business and one of the ways we help make this more manageable is by providing you with lots of help and support at Head Office and field level.  You will have a dedicated Business Development Manager who is responsible for providing you with ongoing support.  The Business Development Manager will visit you at least once every two weeks and more frequently when you first start out.

 
How many staff will I need?
This will dependent on your particular outlet and our joint assessment of the needs of the business.  Initially, your staffing needs may be modest however they will grow in line with revenue.  We will help you to create your roster and recruit & train your initial team.

 
Will I be able to sell the business in the future?
Yes, the franchise is yours to sell under certain guidelines and conditions.  The business must be sold to someone who meets our approval in the same way you had to.  The purchaser will continue to operate the franchise under the franchise agreement.

 
How much money will I make?
This will depend on your particular outlet.  All stores are different.  Location, competition and your ability will all have an impact on the profitability of the business. 
Supanews opens new businesses or acquires existing businesses and then operates them for a period of time.  As such, you may be able to use actual trading information to make your own assessment about the relative profit that the business is likely to achieve.
 
What will be my Return on Investment?
The future returns for the store under your ownership relies on the growth and profitability of the business under your ownership.  We cannot predict what this return may be as there are too many variables outside of our control.
You will, however, be able to use actual trading information to make your own assessment.
 
How much will my business increase in value after the first twelve months?
Again we would need a crystal ball to be able to answer this question.  We would hope that your business grows in value over time.  Twelve months may be too optimistic a time frame, but who knows?  In real terms most businesses in most industries take at least three years to fully establish themselves and you should ensure that your expectations in this area are equally realistic.

 
Will I get the chance to see some real trading figures?
Yes, if it is an established Supanews store.  Supanews will not, however, make any sales forecasts or projections.

 
Which sites are available?
We rarely advertise the sites we have available and never compromise on the quality of the sites we secure just as we never compromise on the quality of the people we select to become our franchisees.
 
Generally speaking, there are three options for site-selection:
 
  • You may be granted the opportunity to franchise a site we have already secured
  • You may be granted the opportunity to franchise an existing store or
  • You may nominate a particular area on your Application Form or during the Franchise Recruitment process.   

Sites are something best discussed during the Franchise Recruitment process.

We need to assess your suitability to the Supanews franchise network, just as you need to do your own assessment of our suitability to you and your lifestyle. 


How long until I am up and running?
The timing of your store opening is completely dependent on handover and training dates.
 
I currently operate a shop and would like to operate my franchise from this location - is this possible?
Supanews has an internal Leasing Department which secures all of our great sites.  The sites that Supanews selects are ultimately determined by this department, and by our Supanews Directors.  Foot traffic, demographics and other indicators are all analysed in order to select a site.

If you are a leasing agent and you have a site that you think we would be interested in please review our leasing section on this site (click here)