On a similar vein, we advertise every month in MB (1/4 page = £Lots) and so receive a compimentary copy – thanks, Louise! This being the case we have allowed our subscription to lapse……guess what? I can’t now view the Subscriber Only stuff either.

This would be very handy as we regularly receive enquiries about suitable equipment for model ABC “as reviewed in MB magazine”. Used to save me hours wading through back-issues to find the article. I’ve put this to CB but he’s been silent on the matter thus far.

 

As regards your situation, why not get someone to buy you a one-payment annual subscription for your birthday or Christmas? Maybe stick it on a credit card and pay that off in monthly whacks of £3.85, instead of paying it to WH Smith or the model shop? If nowt else, it’ll save you the trip to fetch it!

 

Dave M

As further point, it is worth mentioning that in newstrade, e.g. WH Smith, they take at least a third of the cover price as profit for themselves, plus they charge an annual fee for shelf space and in practice for every magazine sold, roughly the same number are not sold and pulped after the ‘off sale’ date. In practice with this magazine, as with any other magazine of any type, there are some readers who will buy the magazine or newspaper every time it is published, but there are many who  just buy a magazine or newspaper if either they like the look of it, or if they happen to be in the shop. WH Smith only pay us for copies actually sold.

MB does rather well in terms of magazines sold in newstrade v wastage, but nevertheless in financial terms we  receive barely half the cover price for every copy sold in newstrade and that is another reason why subscriptions are ‘pushed’ so much by all publishers of all magazines. It is worth remembering though that postage, packing and distribution handling costs  for subscription copies are born by the magazine publisher – hence the subscription price can never be  (regularly) half the cover price as contributors, design and editorial staff have to be paid regardless of how well any magazine sells. Basically, in newstrade you have the choice of whether or not to buy a magazine and that is unfortunately born out my the number of people who use WH Smith as a free library, across the whole magazine spectrum. You know what I mean – you can see what you want on the shelf, but there is someone standing in front of it reading another magazine that they actually have no intention of buying – hence the large number of un-saleable dog-eared copies of different magazines on the shelves which we as  publishers have paid for.

Paul Freshney

Editor 

Yup: unsold copies are pulped –  because so many are no longer saleable after being ‘read’ and no doubt we would be charged for that as well if we did want them back! One of the problems that WH Smith have is that supermarkets etc. now sell all the popular women’s, children’s, general interest and some men’s magazines to the detriment of WH Smith who are often in high street positions that are ignored by many who do a one stop shop at Asda/Tesco etc.  Hence they continue to try to increase their margins to compensate. There was an interesting report from Which Magazine on high street shops, best and worst, that was reported on in the Mail this week.

Paul Freshney

Editor. 

A question to Paul Freshney, What subscription payments are available to this Aussie who refuses to use credit and who’s bank will not allow international Direct Debit?

I have faithfully purchased MB mags since I worked in a hobby shop in the late 1960’s only selling off old ones when shifting house.

I do have a Paypal account which I use often whit UK ebay sellers if this option is available.

Another benefit of subscription would be less lag time in getting issues eg. last week my May issue arrive at news agent.

Looking forward to your reply.

Damien. 

Damien

Pm sent.

 

Paul Freshney