We are a go for Nov 4th.
Haul, I am sure you remember last year when we were supposed to have the fall launch and got disappointed in the end. I still say it was due to lack of ad sales and I 100% believe that is the motivation behind us dropping to 500k issues instead of 1 million a week. Once it lunches and they show circulation for 12 months, I am positive moving up to 1 million will not be an issue for REDG.
With that said, we are launching in November as we want to be out for Black Friday in November to get a piece of the Christmas Ad $$$! If anyone remembers the reason we decided not to launch in December or January after we missed the fall launch is marketing money dries up after Christmas as that is when 70% of retail sales happen. So REDG moved the launch out again and missed it again this summer. Having reduced the copies to 500K per week and the long launch period, we have it this time!
I worked retail management for nearly a decade in a past life and worked 7/8 Black Fridays in stores. I can tell you signs, ads, bags, etc are done months and months in advance. We would have the Black Friday supplies, ads, and bags in the warehouse in boxes that said do not open until "blank date" stamped on the side often in October.
This said, if we were not launching in November, Benny would know already as all of this needs to already be in place to happen. Especially with a company the size of TRU, as I can guarantee you they already have their ads done and know what they want to advertise on the REDG covers and bags. I don't think people realize how many bags and free issues that will be going out in the electronic department during Christmas. It will be KRAZY!!!
I am sure that free GSL issue will make it in with a lot of gifts under the tree this year from TRU.
It would be great if Benny could share the special TRU covers with us, yet I know TRU would never allow that. Even if he shared us the cover with the products etc, blacked out would do so much for us here. Yet, why risk losing your biggest advertiser???
Benny has shared pics of boxes ready to go and ship before. I really hope as we move closer to November he shares pictures similar to this again. It will help all of us in the end.
All the best to my fellow longssssss!!!
Penny_Island
