A tale about Woodworking Magazine Availability

[wizer]

Had to take the car to the garage today to get a dodgy handle sorted. There was no one available to follow me there so I thought i'd get meself a woodworking mag to peruse while I waited. I don't buy wood mags much anymore, if I do I prefer F&C or FWW. Our local WH Smith stocks both (aswell as GWW and most of the others). After queuing for the car park and weaving around xmas shoppers I make a bee line for where the WW mags are located. Not there, must have moved them. Scanned every shelf, nook and cranny. Nope, they have pulled every WW mag, just a few self build mags. Couldn't get a legible answer from the staff, so I left. Got to the garage and stared at a pile of alloy wheels for half an hour. :x

I can think of one other WH Smith store that stock WW mags (or did last time I was there). There is a book shop on Oxford Street which sells FWW.

Is this a similar story up and down the country?

I'm off to subscribe to F&C (early xmas present to myself)

 

[Steve Maskery]

I don't buy wood mags much anymore,

...and that's just the problem, you and lots of others too. And it's not just WW mags either.

The reason why WHS and others don't stock them is because they don't sell, not in the numbers they used to, anyway. At its peak GW was selling 27K or thereabouts (and I'm open to correction by Andy or Nick or anyone else for that matter). Now it's what, half that?

The floor space that magazine racks take up can be more profitably used to sell, well, almost anything else really. And anyone who is really interested in buying WW mags (and I assume other subjects) can get such good deals on subscriptions that it really doesn't make sense to buy on the stand.

Just to plug Nick's new mag for a moment (no I don't have shares!) you can get 12 issues of British Woodworking for £35, delivered to your door, and get £25 of top-quality screws into the bargain. Now who is going to buy their mag at WHS when they can get that sort of deal? Other mags offer good deals too. GW is regularly offering free binders or trial offers or somesuch and I bet Woodworker and F&C do similar. It makes no sense to buy regularly off the stand.

Shops will not stock goods that folks won't buy.

Cheers
Steve

 

[andy king]

If I recall, it was when WHS had a disasterous year of sales and had a rethink, choosing to ditch a lot of magazine space where product could lie for ages and do nothing for more faster turnaround stuff, so more cards and wrapping paper type stuff.
Some of the high performance mags (computing etc) remained, but niche mags got the chop in smaller WHS's unless there was a track record for it selling well at a particular branch. Even some of the bigger ones with more floor space removed rafts of mags, relying on a customer to order from them if they wanted it.
At the time, most mags ran a piece pointing out that availability may become sporadic or even unavailable with a number to call, or a subs line to get an issue, but my ex employers were a tad arrogant to say the least and were loathe to do the same (on all titles, not just GW) feeling it was a sign of weakness to do so... :shock: :!: Upshot for GW at the time was a drop in sales by about 2K+ for that years figures!
As an ex buyer of most woody titles, I used to go into the shops and browse, buying the one that caught my eye, (usually going back and buying another title the next week!) but if nothing was there, I'd maybe try again a few days later, then lose interest and not go back there at all, and its probably the same for those readers like me following the WHS decision, and it's very difficult to entice an ex browser/reader to return if the product is seemingly unavailable...
Chances are, the WHS you went to Wizer may not have stocked for ages if you don't buy regularly, or it may be they have had a recent rethink of floor space again.
Doesn't make it easier for me or Nick that's for sure! :roll:
Still, push comes to the shove, I can still cut wood sort of straight if needs be! :lol:

Cheers,
Andy

 

[speed]

i looked in tesco and morrisons whilst shopping and not one ww mag, the only place i can get them is a small papershop,

 

[CHJ]

......
Shops will not stock goods that folks won't buy.
Steve

Can I modify that a little Steve,
"Big Chain Shops will not stock goods that don't make the profit margin decreed by the bean counters"

This first manifests itself when the smaller branch within just a 14mile return trip stops stocking due to low turnover, next because the sales at the bigger branch do not increase it too follows the non stocking pattern because that is a 36mile trip not done at the dictate of a weird shelf date calendar, and joe blogs either gives up buying altogether or subscribes.

This all means along the way that small independent shops can no longer get economic deliveries and loose a small but significant drop in slice of collateral trade.

It is little different to what has happened to the specialist ironmongers/diy tool shops where just about everything you needed was in a box somewhere. Put them out of business with superstore creaming of the bulk of the trade, then change direction in search of more profit, leave town high street to the charity shops.


OK off my soap box, you can blow the raspberries if you like, I care passionately but find myself incapable of doing anything to influence the situation that the bean counters will notice.

 

[woodshavings]

I took a subscription out for Nick's magazine a couple of issues ago when my GWW sub lapsed. (wish I'd waited now, the screw offer looks good!)

I bought my last issue of GWW from WHS in Winchester and was planning to continue on an occasional basis, when the content interested me. If they have stopped stocking it, that will screw that plan

John

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Not much to add, except perhaps to thank Steve for his plug, and to say hi to Andy, whose jokes and good humour I miss a lot!

Subscribing is the future for many types of magazines, I suspect. This cuts both ways. It's more efficient, and more of the revenue lands in the pubisher's hands, which in our case means a better magazine. However you have to fight harder to find the subscribers and there's less opportunity for readers to dabble. That means the product has to be consistently good. I hope that's what British Woodworking can provide, and yes our current offer of screws from Screw-Tite is fantastic.

Do email me Woodshavings, as we will send you a carry-case of screws if you want to extend your subsription to 12 issues.

Thanks to everyone for their continued support.

Nick

 

[tim]

As Nick has said, subscription is probably the way forward but (and its a big but) it stops new readers who aren't prepared to commit to a full year sub. The other problem as I see it is that most mags and forums end up being circular ie eventually re running most of the same stuff in slightly different guises. This is not a dig at either mags or forums but a function of reader interest and skill set. As readers notice the same stuff repeat too regularly they disappear - the most annoying trait right now is F&C rehashing FWW stuff. I have subs for both and dont need to see old FWW articles reprinted.

Therefore the problem lies in retaining existing subscribers/ regulars and recruiting new and possibly irregular readers whilst satisfying the margin requirements of the retail outlets / publishing mgmt. Tricky indeed.

Chas - I don't see that there is so much fault with the bean counters - they have businesses to run as well. There are lots of things I'd like to make but I'd not turn nearly enough profit so I make more uninteresting but more lucrative stuff and leave the rest as a hobby.

Cheers

Tim

 

[Mike.C]

I do not know if it has anything to do with the new owners but in my view GW is not the same. I am not talking about the contents of the mag, I am referring to customer service. I used to subscribe, but 2 months running I never received my copy and so I phoned them up. On the first occasion I was informed about the postal strike and asked to wait (fair enough). When it never arrived two weeks later I phoned again and was told it should be with me any day now. By that time the next issue was due and when after the third phone call I never got anywhere I just cancelled my subscription. I never did receive the two missing mags.

Its a pity because I did like it, but I am not going to pay for a magazine that I do not receive, and where the person who answers the phone does not give a s--t about it. :twisted:

Cheers

Mike

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Good points Tim. I'm bean counter and publisher and editor! It's a fascinating mix, and there are things that I have to do as bean counter that the editor in me would prefer to avoid. But I have to believe that the magazine I produce is of use and has a purpose, and therefore for it to survive I have to make compromises that will put it in the hands of people who might otherwise not notice its existence.

Actually I think there is hope. I think that the basic information that gets a new woodworker going will be available for free on the internet (which joint is which, how to make a plane cut etc...). What people will buy magazines for is excellent journalism, interesting stories that are well written and challenge the way we think about woodwork, enthuse us to have a go, and make us feel proud to be woodworkers. More than anything, that is what we are trying to achieve with British Woodworking.

Cheers.

Nick

 

[andy king]

Hi Mike,

Too late now, but i'm really sorry you were given such poor service by the new owners.
Personally, I can't stand poor customer service, and if any readers out there who are having similar problems want to contact me, ([email protected]) I'll do my utmost to see that someone sorts it.
Its certainly not the way to keep a readers loyalty, and I wish all companies, publishing or otherwise, realised the damage poor customer service does! :evil: 100 positives count for nothing once a negative goes against you...
Anyway, evening Nick - I'll see if I can sort you out a joke for Friday! (mag's looking great BTW - got any screws I can borrow? :wink: :lol: )

cheers,
Andy

 

[Mike.C]

Andy wrote,

Hi Mike,

Too late now, but i'm really sorry you were given such poor service by the new owners.

Thanks Andy. What really p----d me off is the fact that I was with them for years and they were not bothered at all that I wanted to cancel. They did not even ask if I wanted the missing mags.
The days when the customer matters has well and truly gone with SOME companys. They will tell you different, but when it comes right down to it they are not bothered if they lose a customer because there is always someone to take their place.

If the boss of any company is reading this and for what ever reason they are trying to find a way to to improve their customer service department, I would point them towards Axminster, because IMHO it is that department that makes Axminster a cut above the rest.

Cheers

Mike

 

[wizer]

Well then I'm convinced enough to subscribe to a magazine. I have not had a chance to pick up a copy of your magazine Nick, do you have any back issues?

Anyone got a recent issue of F&C, what are they offering to new subscribers? Any deals?

 

[devonwoody]

I stopped subscritpions and buying woodworking mags. because the advertising was manufacturer orientated.
Mail order and local type advertising ceased.
Unable to go into Smiths or other newsagents to see if this practice as now changed because there are no magazines to browse over.

Any information on that point?

 

[andy king]

Devonwoody wrote:

I stopped subscritpions and buying woodworking mags. because the advertising was manufacturer orientated.

But surely DW, this will be the case in any magazine? A computing magazine will be rammed to the gunnels with ads from manufacturers selling the latest graphic card, sound card or newest 'must have' system?
Much the same in woodwork mags, the manufacturers see it as a place to tout their wares alongside other opportunities such as in store banners and such like.
Unless you mean something different?

Andy

Edit: There are still some mail order advertisers, but these are less, the internet undercuts any shop based store, so I would imagine it's difficult for any mail order company to print a definitive price list and remain competitive, and local advertising in a national magazine has to be a tricky business in any situation. I doubt it would be cost effective for any advertiser.

 

[tim]

I stopped subscritpions and buying woodworking mags. because the advertising was manufacturer orientated.

What other type of advertising would be better then? Plus under advertising guidelines, if there is space, publishers are legally bound to publish any ads submitted that fall within the advertising standards.

Cheers

Tim

 

[Bodrighy]

In Taunton WHS the magazines are all available including any specials such as the Turning Projects magazine this week. Maybe it has something to do with the locality? Personally I wouldn't subscribe simply because I don't find enough in each magazine to warrant having them all.

Pete

 

[devonwoody]

When I was a magazine subscripton customer, also building up a new workshop my main interest at the time was watching the mail order advertisers and their retail prices and offers.
I then noticed that they stopped their two page adverts with listed stock but I was seeing only adverts from a limited source of manufacturers each month.

I wasn't happy about paying a subscription for a magazine that had a restricted advertising policy, I felt they shoud be giving me the magazine free.

So I switched over to the internet and also have shopped worldwide and purchased equipment also when on holiday.

The old days were best.

 

[Gill]

One of the reasons why I stopped buying woodwork magazines was their being sealed in plastic bags. I used to look at the cover of a magazine to see what was in it, then browse through and decide if the articles appealed to me. If they did, I would buy it; I usually bought two or three different magazines each month.

Once wrapping was introduced, I could no longer decide if the articles appealed to me. Denied this opportunity to see what I was getting for my money, I stopped buying the magazines.

Gill

 

[devonwoody]

One of the reasons why I stopped buying woodwork magazines was their being sealed in plastic bags. I used to look at the cover of a magazine to see what was in it, then browse through and decide if the articles appealed to me. If they did, I would buy it; I usually bought two or three different magazines each month.

Once wrapping was introduced, I could no longer decide if the articles appealed to me. Denied this opportunity to see what I was getting for my money, I stopped buying the magazines.

Gill

They're not even there now to browse, so san fairy anne, excuse my french.