Speedway Star Online

[Guest]

certainly it seems a reasonable request that anyone paying to subscruibe to the paper version should at least have the option of free subscription to the online version.

 

I agree that an option is a great idea but not for postal subscribers to automatically also get the on-line version surely?

[waiheke1]

They've effectively already paid for the right to read the editorial content, therexwould be minimal additional cost to the publishers, so I don't see why they shouldn't have online access included.

Obviously the star's call to make though.

[BWitcher]

 

i worked in the magazine industry for around 10 years, so am interrested in Phil's reply. My guess though is one or more of the following:

 

1. There is no automated order processing, so manual admin is required for orders , which would roughly be the same for an annual sub or a one off purchase. If it takes ten minutes of admin for an order (downloading off the site, packagin up, charging the credit card, dealing with any follow up queries) then the profit margin on a single copy is gone tight there.
2. The subscription database may not be able to handle “one off” orders (I saw many different subs processing systems used, and frankly they were all rubbish) – ties back to point 1 above.
3. Possibly the company doing the IT work converting to electronic copy are charging per subscrivber rather than per issue sold?

Anyway, this is great news, I’ll definitely be subscribing from NZ.

There is no automated order processing for an online magazine?? The very idea of that beggars belief.

 

I could go and create a pdf document right now. Put it online and sell it. For one off purchasers I would have to do zero work, they would pay, the money would be processed, they'd receive the document and I would have no involvement.

 

Anyway as you say its good news and I would be getting a subscription anyway, but by not having the opportunity for the casual purchaser you are losing business in my opinion.

[Guest]

They've effectively already paid for the right to read the editorial content, therexwould be minimal additional cost to the publishers, so I don't see why they shouldn't have online access included.

Obviously the star's call to make though.

 

But surely if what you propose is implemented, there would be no need for paid-for edition subscriptions only or for on-line subscriptions only? Or am I getting confused in regard to the logistics of the proposal. It all looked good when first announced - sadly as a topic its wanderrd into BSFland.

Edited October 29, 2013 by Guest

[John Leslie]

What's to stop 10 existing subscribers joining together, buying just one online subscription, and sharing it via email with the other 9?

[Guest]

What's to stop 10 existing subscribers joining together, buying just one online subscription, and sharing it via email with the other 9?

 

A good point. I wonder if that eventuality has been considered?

[waiheke1]

 

But surely if what you propose is implemented, there would be no need for paid-for edition subscriptions only or for on-line subscriptions only? Or am I getting confused in regard to the logistics of the proposal. It all looked good when first announced - sadly as a topic its wanderrd into BSFland.

 

i see your point - though some paper based subscribers would have no use for an online sub, and vice versa. But rather than being "free", perhaps the online could be avilable at a significant discount to those with paper based subs. I'm sure all ill be revealed in the near future.

 

What's to stop 10 existing subscribers joining together, buying just one online subscription, and sharing it via email with the other 9?

i guess there's nothing to stop current subscribers sharing their paper copy with 9 other people, though appreciate with online subs this would be much easier to do. Possibly some sort of protection which means someone can only access their mag on "x" number of devices. Plenty of other mags are available online, so there must be ways of preventing large scale sharing. I'm sure this ould have been considered by the Speedway Star team before launching.

[BWitcher]

What's to stop 10 existing subscribers joining together, buying just one online subscription, and sharing it via email with the other 9?

It doesn't work like that.

 

You would be accessing them through your own account, which is setup on a particular device.

 

But surely if what you propose is implemented, there would be no need for paid-for edition subscriptions only or for on-line subscriptions only? Or am I getting confused in regard to the logistics of the proposal. It all looked good when first announced - sadly as a topic its wanderrd into BSFland.

Not sure what you mean here, but if you're talking about no need for paper based subscriptions then at the moment of course there would be a need as many folk would still prefer to read it that way. However many magazines include access to the online version as well to subscribers of the paper version.

 

As I said earlier, you're not printing off extra copies, you're creating a copy once.

 

Also not sure what you mean abut wandering off into BSF land, people who are genuinely interested in the product are asking questions about it. Nothing wrong with that.

Edited October 29, 2013 by BWitcher

[ABS]

It doesn't work like that.

 

You would be accessing them through your own account, which is setup on a particular device.

 

Not sure what you mean here, but if you're talking about no need for paper based subscriptions then at the moment of course there would be a need as many folk would still prefer to read it that way. However many magazines include access to the online version as well to subscribers of the paper version.

 

As I said earlier, you're not printing off extra copies, you're creating a copy once.

 

Also not sure what you mean abut wandering off into BSF land, people who are genuinely interested in the product are asking questions about it. Nothing wrong with that.

Spot on - it's a real pain when I get back home to find say three editions of The Star waiting for me with another in the post. Invariably, I don't ending reading them all, but an on-line version of a magazine I've subscribed to would be most welcome and would get read.

[AlanF]

But surely if what you propose is implemented, there would be no need for paid-for edition subscriptions only or for on-line subscriptions only? Or am I getting confused in regard to the logistics of the proposal. It all looked good when first announced - sadly as a topic its wanderrd into BSFland.

I'm sure Speedway Star would be delighted if as many subscribers as possible took the online version rather than the printed copy. Much cheaper to distribute. This is the direction just about all printed media is going now. I get my local newspaper this way. In some of the more rural areas of metro Atlanta, they do not even offer a print version anymore.

 

Living in the US, I am very happy about this. I will definitely be subscribing. Will get up to date news and not have to pay higher subscription costs for shipping.

[PHILIPRISING]

I AM in the US at the moment and will tackle some of the questions raised later.

 

However, what I can say now is that net income from a sale through the App Store for example will actually be slightly less than from a printed mag sent through the post. We heavily discount subs anyway, currently £2.12p per copy and then we pay first class postage leaving us with about 56 per cent of the original cover price. That is also the margin we receive from sales through supermarkets, newsagents, etc.

 

The net income from overseas subs with higher postage charges is also around 56 per cent.

 

Apple take 30 per cent of the cost of mags sold via iTunes, then the company handling the operation for us take 14 per cent of what's left leaving us with, again, around 55/56 per cent.

 

The bottom line is the net income per magazine is pretty much the same no matter how it is sold.

 

We looked at various means of producing an online magazine, bearing in mind that we do not have the time or staff availability to do it ourselves. The first criteria was that it had to be available on a Thursday morning. That means the pdfs need to be sent on a Tuesday afternoon, at the same time as the final files are sent to our printers.

 

We talked with a few companies that could handle that but some charge a minimum of £3 per page, plus the costs of setting up an App and a annual licence fee. For a pre-paid yearly contract that amounts to over £11,000 on our current annual pagination.

 

The best solution was us is what ExactEditions offer. It is all based around subscriptions. They take the final pdf and handle everything from there on a commission only basis. Their income is a percentage of subs sold. No subs sold they make no money and we have no financial downside other than the unavoidable payments to Apple.

 

The lack of a facility to buy one-off copies is something we will examine in the near future but right now the route we have chosen is the one that suits us best.

[BWitcher]

Thanks Phil,

 

Some interesting info there. I would question the lack of one off purchases with Exact Editions, I can't see how it would cost them or yourselves anything extra. I am sure you would get more sales too as some people just like to buy the odd edition.

 

Looking forward to it though.

[The White Knight]

This sounds good to me. I may well bag a Subscription.

 

Oh for a proper set of Smileys.

[tyretrax]

This sounds good to me. I may well bag a Subscription.

 

Oh for a proper set of Smileys.

 

Oh for a "like" button.

[ciderman]

I shall certainnly be subscribing

[PHILIPRISING]

SPEEDWAY STAR is now available by subscription online through your web browser, on an iPhone or iPad or any Android device... and for the same price no matter where you are in the world.

 

The latest online editions will be available each Thursday morning (UK time) other than over the Christmas holiday period when the dates will vary.

See speedwaystar.net during that time for more details.

If you wish to renew your subscription for the online edition rather than have the printed one mailed to you, go to: www.exacteditions.com/speedwaystar

 

Please note the App version for the iPhone and iPad will not be available from the iTunes store until Thursday, December 5^th.

 

Prices for the online editions represent huge savings for those subscribers living outside of the United Kingdom.

You will pay the same price (£28 for 13 weeks, £112 for 52 weeks) whether you reside in Australia, Europe, New Zealand or North America.

[waiheke1]

Hi Phil

if u subscribe are u able to access it on multiple devices e.g. both laptop and android phone?

[PHILIPRISING]

Hi Phil

if u subscribe are u able to access it on multiple devices e.g. both laptop and android phone?

 

YES...

[AlanF]

Got my subscription. Looks great on my ipad.

[foamfence]

Got my subscription. Looks great on my ipad.

I have it too! Works great and is very easy to read on my PC.