A tale about Woodworking Magazine Availability

[andy king]

Devonwoody wrote:

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

Which is why they no longer advertise. A shop with overheads, rental/insurance/full staff/aftersales etc cannot compete effectively against a box shifting internet based business as they get undercut on pretty well everything they stock because the box shifters don't have such massive overheads to contend with.
In effect DW, by using the internet for your purchases, it has become indirectly (or directly) responsible for a lot of these companies either ceaing to trade, or not advertising as it's an extra cost to contend with.
Not just in woody mags, across the board, hence the manufacturers who are simply making a product still advertise to let everyone know they have a new toy for us all, while those that actually stock it have to hope that the public will choose them as a supplier, rather than trawl the net for the cheapest option.

Andy

 

[misterfish]

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.

In my case it also stopped me buying the magazines - which helped to reduce sales which led to the magazines not being stocked - I'm still (and always have been) convinced that the poly bag was a major feature in reducing impulse sales; this has also been the case with SWMBO not buying 'sealed' homemaking magazines.

Misterfish

 

[andy king]

Gill wrote:

One of the reasons why I stopped buying woodwork magazines was their being sealed in plastic bags.

I agree with you Gill. Any mag I want to buy I always like to skim to see if there is something that catches my eye.
Publishers put great store in the coverlines, spending hours deciding what would be a great tag line or getting the art bods to tweak a pic by a degree or two, only to decide to bag the issue and put a catalogue or something over the cover and obscure the (hopefully!) selling points on the cover that initially make you pick it up!
Publishers do get additional revenue from bagging catalogues and such like, and hard cash in the bank obviously takes precedent over the actual ability for a would be reader to see what the product is all about. On GW, we've banged on about bagging being the devil for enticing the browsing purchaser, but we're only the foot soldiers... :?

Andy

 

[lurker]

I think there are similarities with other specialist products/services here. We now all use Ax, Screwfix etc online because the specialist shops are thin on the ground. And there is the comfort & convenience angle ( I loath high street shopping!).

With Mags the equivalent means reading on line or a sub.

I hold my hand up and admit ito reading Mags in WHS and then walking out empty handed (Our local one still has a good selection by the way).

There is a stall on our street market for out of date mags - its obviously a bit "pot luck" sometimes I get maybe 5 (at 50p each) often there are none at all.

This year I've subscribed to Brit Wood and it ain't a bad mag thus far.

I also took out a sub to USA Pop Wood as this was cheap with the $/£ thing. However they are hopeless at delivery - I've had to chase every issue :evil: :evil: :evil:

I don't mid the adverts as I understand that is where any profit lies.
I do get a bit annoyed with articles which are blatantly pushing some products presumably to "suck up" to the advertisers.

 

[devonwoody]

Mind you, I used to get very annoyed with the fellow in front of the rack who was reading the only magazine issue left in the shop, and my parking time was limited

 

[devonwoody]

The woodworking machinery suppliers ought to do it the way Sainsbury gets my wifes custom. (shopping that is)

They keep sending her vouchers of £6 off of £60 (set of six at a time) it gots so bad I'm thinking of buying another freezer, (but I wont have it in the workshop).

Free magazine each month with a genuine voucher, and woodwork articles from Andy. Thats the way to go.

 

[newt]

WHS Salisbury has all the mags. Agree with the statement that Axminster sets a good customer relation standard.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

This year I've subscribed to Brit Wood and it ain't a bad mag thus far.

I also took out a sub to USA Pop Wood as this was cheap with the $/£ thing. However they are hopeless at delivery - I've had to chase every issue :evil: :evil: :evil:

Thanks, Lurker. I hope you like the free screws that come with the latest subs offer. We were stunned by the quality of Screw-Tite screws when we tested them in issue 1. They are a new British company too, and are working really hard to get established.

Customer service is obviously vital. If British Woodworking ever lets a reader down please email me immediately.

Nick

 

[Mike.C]

Nick wrote,

Customer service is obviously vital.

Good customer service that is.

Nick wrote,

If British Woodworking ever lets a reader down please email me immediately.

Thats the way it should be Nick, i.e. the owner making sure his customers are happy.

Cheers

Mike

 

[chippy1970]

Not surprising they don't sell.

I sometimes buy Good Woodworking and Steve and all the others do sometimes do some interesting articles, I have stopped buying it now as I get disappointed by all the filler stuff and advertising it probably only takes 10 minutes to flick thru then its done.

I am off ill at moment and SWIMBO bought me a copy of GOLF TODAY yesterday and I am still engrossed in it. I am more into joinery as thats my living so I should prefer you're mag and I did once.

I don't know what you're budget is probably less than a golf mag but that surely has little affect on putting interesting articles in.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

When I get the chance I always pop in to Borders, as they always have a good selection of magazines.

There were two magazines that I fancied yesterday, but they both had plastic covers. So, I ended up buying nothing. :roll:

Cheers,
Neil

 

[mrwilby]

Off topic, but how do I find out about the British Woodworking screw offer(s)?

Thanks

 

[devonwoody]

Off topic, but how do I find out about the British Woodworking screw offer(s)?

Thanks

Ask Nick here.

 

[Steve Maskery]

Email [email protected]

 

[Losos]

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!)

Yes John, I'm in the same position as you, still it's good to see BWW able to offer such deals, and how the content is shaping up. Perhaps when year two starts there will be an even better deal hint hint :lol: :lol:

 

[woodshavings]

Hi Losos, see offer from Nick to my comment in this thread - he may give you same deal!
John

 

[BradNaylor]

I can't believe that there is much future for specialist magazines in their printed form at all.

Given the high costs of printing, distribution, retailer's mark-up etc, surely the days of picking up a mag at the newsagents are drawing to a close.

The internet provides a far more efficient delivery system for the information carried within a magazine; with costs covered by advertising it should be possible to make it free.

And when colour laser printers become the norm in every home we'll be able to print a copy off and take it to the loo for a good read. :lol:

I would have thought that paper magazines will go the way of CD's and DVD's over the next few years and completely disappear.

Apart from the likes of 'Take a Break' and 'Hello' !!!

 

[wizer]

I would like to see at least one of the UK mags realise how useful the FWW website is and really make an effort to do the same.

 

[CHJ]

I would like to see at least one of the UK mags realise how useful the FWW website is and really make an effort to do the same.

I am sure if you can come up with a business model that can at least cover the cost of maintaining it if not the setting up in the first instance their will be a few takers.

If the maintenance man hours expended on this forum alone were to be costed as opposed to 90+ % voluntary I doubt it could be supported by any current magazine let alone the hardware provision. A commercial site with a monthly input driven by the magazine editorial that would have a user expectation of being up 24-7 must cost considerably more to maintain.

 

[ivan]

I got Very Excited when the first woodworking mag got a polythene cover but when I got it home I couldn't see what all the fuss was about....