So what exactly was it? A promotion gone wrong, a genuine business decision... or a shot in the foot with a blunderbuss? You can take your pick after Woolworths made what seems to have been a perfectly sane decision to get shot of its Christian magazines that are not selling - in other words, probably all of them. It's difficult to come up with a suitable comparison of something that could have generated the same level of anger. Instantly, the more vocal of our Christian community sprang into action, threatening a very unholy boycott of the retailer's stores. If Woolies did not rescind their decision there would be fire and brimstone and wailing and gnashing of teeth. So, the retailer's management did the 'right' thing and the mags are back on the shelves - presumably to once again be ignored by the vast majority of Christians passing through the store. And why would we suggest they actually ignore the magazines? Well... One is afraid to ask, but we're going to anyway... If all the Christians who flooded Susman's inbox with a tirade actually bought their weekly ration of religion from Woolies, the magazines would sell well. Right? Wrong! They don't - so they aren't. So... what comes next? Now that the retailer has set a bit of a precedent, will we also see other religious groups threatening a boycott if their magazines aren't stocked? If they do, it won't be much good Woolies saying it is not their policy to stock such magazines - since whatever that policy is, they are stocking the publications. On the bright side, at least the media had some pun with Woolies.

Rod Baker, General Manager: Content
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