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SAM Subscription Bonus


Nigel Bunker

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I picked up my copy of February's SAM yesterday (along with 3 other aircraft modelling magazines - why do they all publish at the same time?) and reading the editorial I discovered that the magazine will have 8 extra pages of articles but for subscription customers only. This is due to start with the March issue, when retail and subscription copies will both have the extra 8 pages and then from April onwards retail copieswill be effectively "SAM Lite" whilst subscription readers get the" Full fat version of SAM".

 

The reason they are doing this, I presume, is that subscription copies make them more money whereas in retail both the wholesaler and the sewller take their cut from the sale price.

 

Speaking personally, I will continue to buy my copy from my local newsagent but if it appears the better articles are being held back for subscription copies, then I shall simply stop buying it.

 

What do others think of this novel policy?

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I'm betting the retail copy won't be "8 pages" cheaper then!!!  

TBH I don't really like this idea - it says to me that SAM value subscribers more than retail purchasers: I appreciate an annual subscription means they have the money up front, and I can see the business logic for it, but it just smacks of a cynically blatant marketing attempt to get more subscribers, and sod the casual purchaser. "Can't afford the yearly subscription?  Oh dear - well you can only buy the advert heavy, content thin JAM version". PAH ( Im in a bad mood this morning it seems LOL)

 

 

Jonners

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Unless it's an eight page separate supplement how will it work?  Two separate printing of magazines.  The various plane magazines struggle enough with issuing one correctly edited, proofread and non-repetitive magazine per month!

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Hello everyone. For the benefit of those of you commenting who have not seen the announcement in the latest issue of SAM here is the text in full:

 

'Great news for subscribers to Scale Aircraft Modelling from the start of our 39th volume, with the March 2017 issue.  We will be adding eight additional pages of editorial material to the subscribers mailed copies at no additional cost, so there has never been a better time to take out, or renew a subscription to the most essential scale model aircraft title around.

 

This means that for the price of only £49.50 for fifteen issues, or £94 for thirty issues you not only get the regular magazine delivered to your door, but a full eight extra pages of features and reviews. This works out at almost a 1/3 off the full retail price as well as the benefits of postal delivery and the bonus material

 

Subscriber offers are nothing new – a free CD you don’t really need, a free pen, a free plastic wallet with a logo printed on it… Our Editorial team have put their heads together and come to the conclusion that the best offer we can make is to give you more of what you buy the magazine for in the first place. It’s not rocket science – and it won’t be either as despite rumours to the contrary Mr Hatcher is planning on keeping the content rooted in traditional aviation, barring the occasional flight of fancy from Mr Tony Grand, or the odd ICBM.

The eight page extra will be bound seamlessly into magazines prepared for the subscription database and will to all intents and purposes simply follow on from the rest of the content. The Editor advises us this will consist entirely of additional sourced articles and reviews and will not draw on the existing content. News stand issues will retain all the regular items and favourites that have made SAM the number one choice. It’s up to you – if you want more for less then take out a subscription today.

As a gesture to all readers, and just to show what we can actually offer, we will be binding in the extra eight pages to all copies of the March 2017 issue, newsstand and subscribers. Thereafter the extra value will be available to subscribers only. But that’s not all! Further offers will become available to subscribers in the coming months so watch this space.'

 

 

Naturally you may draw your own conclusions as to whether this leaves the cup half full or half empty...

Edited by 56134
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Ok,  I'm willing to see what the extra 8 pages are like in March's issue, but I still think it's creating an us & them mentality.  The subscriber already gets a reduced cover cost (£3.30 vs £4.50. so about 26.5% discount) for paying in advance.  Or in other words the newsstand purchaser pays 36% more to cover either the subscription discount, or the margin that goes to the retailer etc etc.  So soon, for 36% more money, you will get 8 pages less than the person able to cough up the money in advance, with the further promise of even less value for money to come as more subscriber offers are unveiled.

 

All I can say is that those 8 pages better be jolly good!!!

And yes, I'm being cynical - but this seems to be more about pulling in a nice fixed revenue for the publisher, rather than having to gamble on actually selling the things in the shops, which leads me to believe that sales arent as good as they would like - but then I reckon that there is probably one, perhaps two too many monthly modelling mags about - judging from the duplication of content that regularly occurs....Hmmm I really am being cynical today :) 

 

Jonners

 



 

 

 

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I agree it's a strange way to go, hopefully this isn't the way forward with other magazines. I too prefer to browse and see if there is anything of interest to me before buying, after all you can buy a new paperback by your favourite author for less these days.   

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Lets not forget that SAM is a business and so needs to make money.  This strikes me as an original way to try and do so by increasing subscriptions; whether it works or not is another matter...

 

We have all seen what happens in our hobby when companies forget about profit.  If this helps SAM continue to thrive then it will be worthwhile.

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Those who are prepared to commit get a bonus, those who are willing to walk away don't.  I don't find this odd or particularly surprising, just one facet of human nature.

 

I admit that after some years of finding SAM uninteresting, I was coming around to being a regular buyer again.  So a subscription was in my mind anyway.  If it hadn't been an interesting magazine (no names) no amount of extra pages would have made any difference.

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3 hours ago, chrisov said:

Oddly was just going to ask where SAM has gone.

I havent seen a copy for the last two or so months in my local WH Smiths in Elgin.

I too am a look before I buy.

Chris

Not all branches of WHS seem to carry SAM now, my local branch in Colwyn Bay hasn't stocked it for a while. Usually get it in the bigger Llandudno store. 

Still not too happy with this news, I dont really want to pay a chunk of money up front, have never subscribed to a magazine.

Paul

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5 hours ago, chrisov said:

Oddly was just going to ask where SAM has gone.

I havent seen a copy for the last two or so months in my local WH Smiths in Elgin.

I too am a look before I buy.

Chris

 

Then maybe its like the way magazines are sold in Australian newsagencies in which they don't sell a particular magazine for three consecutive months, they get removed from sale until a regular order occurs.

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It's a last gasp attempt at shoring up their share of a dying industry. I only buy one modelling magazine these days, my time of 6 (or more) a month has long gone. Seriously, how much value is there in a magazine these days? I know that I can get through one in rather less than an hour, which makes for pretty expensive entertainment, and then you have to find a place to keep it, and remember what's in it, and and and... . If I want reviews, I can come here, or wherever else, for free. If I want to find a hobby shop, I google. If I want to know what's coming up on new release, there's the various manufacturer websites. Etc. Magazines as a whole still have a fair bit to offer as a product, but some niches are being overtaken by the march of 'progress'. I submit that scale modelling is one such.

 

Nice try SAM, but it won't attract me. Sorry. (not sorry. I haven't bought a SAM for 5 years or more, nothing in there of sufficient interest for me to spend my very hard-earned on.)

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I'm a subscriber although it's about to expire and I don't intend to renew. That's nothing to do with this new development - in fact, I find it rather attractive - but simply because there are not that many articles in SAM that interest me and the modelling quality is too patchy. I shall return to browsing on the shelf and buying it if useful, but I will have no complaints about missing out on the extra 8 pages. It must be a cutthroat world in the arena of aircraft modelling magazines and I have no problem with SAM trying to stabilise their revenue by offering incentives to people who put their money down in advance.

 

Best of luck SAM!

 

Jon

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About 3 Telfords ago had an interesting exchange with man on SAM stand.

I asked for IPMS discount but he went off on how little money they get from the likes of WHS etc. But wouldn't give me a discount.

He could have offered 10% and still had way more than from WHS! And a satisfied customer.

Result I didnt buy from them, and for similar reasons to those above hardly buy any others either now - never usually enough in them to interest me.

Have tried the online versions eg Pocket Mags but so inflexible to read especially on phone eg if you zoom in you can scroll to next page wirhout resizing and cant print a page or two.

SAM uses a differnt set up abd last time I looked no cheaper than hard copy.

Cheers

Chris

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22 hours ago, colin said:

And that's just it, look before you buy, nothing of interest back on shelf.Prepay, tough it's yours.

I know which way I prefer and will carry on, eight pages of extra or not

Me too. Years ago, I used to buy it every month. Then I stopped buying it altogether and I'm now back to buying it occasionally, when there's an article that interests me, as I think the standard's picked up significantly. But there are many issues in which there's nothing that appeals to me at all, so no way would I subscribe.

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sounds bit unfair.....i try get every issue but due to finances only get if and when can ...certainly cant afford to subscribe to any magazine!!!!!

if this is how they will go then will feel very unfairly treated as surly there are alot of people that support them by buying there copy at the retailer???

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Well when SAM can supply that card I forgot to get for a birthday or anniversary, or a book of stamps or some milk, then I shall use SAM in preference to my newsagent. But until then, he gets my business.

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As one who has to take out a subscription because of distance, and lack of newsagents carrying it for years, not bothered.

I have had to cut back on a few others though, so this is the only one I still get.

 

Out of curiosity, the article on the Mirage F1 is written by a Gary Madgwick, is he the same one?

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Not sure I think this is a great idea. Having said that, I was an original subscriber when the magazine started all those years ago (1978). Back then I lived in Ireland and it was the only sure fire way of getting it. Maybe I'll go back to being a subscriber.

 

Interesting how scale aviation modelling magazines have waxed and waned over the years. Before SAM came out in 1978, there were none. SAM was the first UK magazine totally devoted to scale aircraft model building. Now there are at least four British magazines alone.

 

I've always thought the market place was a bit crowded but so far we've maintained this present number for almost 20 years.

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