Journal Postal Increases

What did you think of the latest Journal?
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Lucky Star
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Lucky Star »

Like everyone else I am happy to pay more for my journals. I think I have two remaining on my current subscription and am also happy to pay extra to cover the increased cost of their postage. Like Nigel I renew by paypal straight away when its due and am dismayed that others wait ages or do not bother at all. The Journal is excellent value for money and it would be a terrible shame if it closed.

If subscriptions fall and revenue does decrease would it be viable or helpful to reduce the size of the journal? It really is a fantastic publication but it is much bigger and more packed with stuff than any other such specialist publication that I have ever seen. I realise that this would be a step backward for the Journal but a slimmed down version might be cheaper to post and would tide us over till the economy, and thus people's disposable income, increases again. After all, in business terms if you cant increase sales then cutting costs is the next logical thing to look at.

I'm so sorry that you are having to deal with all these issues Tony. Your hard work is much appreciated by a great many people I can assure you.
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Kate Mary
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Kate Mary »

I have just renewed my subscription, but if you need a further amount for the increased postal charges, Tony I am happy to oblige. It would be awful if the Journal had to close.

Kate.
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Pippa-Stef »

I too will happily try and cover the extra charges for my next two Tony.

I was almost one of the 30% who would have stopped subscribing to the journal due to lack of funds. My student loan has only just covered my rent this time around. Plus bills and living expenses.

If it wasn't for a very generous birthday present I wouldn't be still recieving issues. However, I will try my absolute best to meet any added charges to the journal that are required. Even if it means borrowing from my parents.

The journal is always a delight to behold.
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Daisy »

Like others who have posted here, I would be willing to pay more for the excellent value Journal. Thank you so much for all your hard work Tony. It really is appreciated.
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Eddie Muir »

Daisy wrote:Like others who have posted here, I would be willing to pay more for the excellent value Journal. Thank you so much for all your hard work Tony. It really is appreciated.
Hear, hear! I agree entirely with Daisy. :D
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Tony Summerfield
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I am very grateful for all the kind remarks and suggestions, but I think we have to look at this realistically. You guys are hardcore Blytonites, you post regularly here, all of you resubscribe quickly and most attend the EB Day each year. I have sent out just over 450 copies of Journal 47 - at least 420 of those receiving them never come anywhere near these forums, and possibly not even the website. On previous recent results up to 100 won't resubscribe anyway as they only have a mild or passing interest and any increase in subscriptions will only push this number upwards. I need these people to keep the Journal a viable proposition. There are also regular posters here who have not seen Journal 47 and several of these haven't seen any Journals, some aren't interested and others are already priced out because of overseas subscription charges. As I posted in another thread only about 60 of those receiving Journals are actually coming to the EB Day and some of those not coming actually live in the area.

The other point that I must stress is that I am a blundering incompetent when it comes to computers. I am totally self-taught and this has involved many hours of trial and error, I have never had any help or advice on how to do anything to do with the Journal. I am sure it is possible to do things in the way of producing an electronic version of the Journal, but I am not capable of doing it. Hopefully the next editor will be a proper geek and will be able to do anything that is wanted, but for the moment at any rate you are stuck with me. If we don't get enough subscribers I can reduce the cost considerably with fewer pages and no colour inside, but these are decisions to be made in July and not now when it is already April 1st in some countries!!
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Tony Summerfield wrote:If we don't get enough subscribers I can reduce the cost considerably with fewer pages and no colour inside, but these are decisions to be made in July...
That would be a perfectly acceptable compromise if the number of subscribers does fall, as we'd still be getting a quality read. Up until about 4 or 5 years ago the Journal had fewer pages but still contained plenty of interesting articles.
70s-child wrote:Tony, a couple of things: first, although I am no expert in electronic publishing, I believe there are specialized software available for this. My office uses specialized software to produce electronic documents. I could check with the relevant people, if you like. Also, if I remember correctly, Fatty mentioned something called print on demand sometime back, so maybe he knows more about this.

Second, you mentioned that you need the money from the print version. That implies that you think the e-version will lose money, and I am unclear on why this should be so. Typically, electronic publications see greater circulation than print ones, so wouldn't the journal make money if more people subscribe?
Would the software cost a lot, I wonder, and would it be straightforward to use?

If we did have an electronic version of the Journal, I wonder whether perhaps more and more people would gradually switch to that rather than the printed one, in the end pushing up the cost of the printed version until it was no longer viable (because costs of printing and delivery are higher for small orders).
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Wolfgang »

Anita Bensoussane wrote:
70s-child wrote:Tony, a couple of things: first, although I am no expert in electronic publishing, I believe there are specialized software available for this. My office uses specialized software to produce electronic documents. I could check with the relevant people, if you like. Also, if I remember correctly, Fatty mentioned something called print on demand sometime back, so maybe he knows more about this.

Second, you mentioned that you need the money from the print version. That implies that you think the e-version will lose money, and I am unclear on why this should be so. Typically, electronic publications see greater circulation than print ones, so wouldn't the journal make money if more people subscribe?
Would the software cost a lot, I wonder, and would it be straightforward to use?

If we did have an electronic version of the Journal, I wonder whether perhaps more and more people would gradually switch to that rather than the printed one, in the end pushing up the cost of the printed version until it was no longer viable (because costs of printing and delivery are higher for small orders).
Actually, there are pdf-printers for free - ghostscript for instance. There are other commercial alternatives to Acrobate that aren't that expensive. I don't know how you, Tony, create the journal. I seem to recall that you mentioned working with MS Word. The question is if you create one word-file which contains all articles, illustrations etc.? Or do you create several files? Depending on the way you work there'll be an option to create a PDF-file true to your intended lay-out.

About the commercial aspect - if the money for the subscription just covers the expenses for the journal (printing and postage) and nothing else, a pure e-version of the journal would make it obsolete. An annual fee for accessing the secret passage could cover the costs for keeping the server and the homepage running. If this fee is much lower than the actual one it might even result in having more subscribers than ever. Naturally I don't know how much the society has to spend for this and that for I don't know the processes that keep it running, but maybe this is an alternative for it. But it's you who has to make the calculation. Naturally this would involve Keith to implement the functions properly, and some of the money could be spent on him so he doesn't have to use his spare time to get everything done and faced a loss if he has to choose between earning money or keeping the homepage running.

This would also mean that those who prefer a solid version of the journal have to print it out themselves. We would probably lose those subscribers who have a lousy internet connection or are uncomfortable using a PC as a reading device.

Just my thoughts...
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by 70s-child »

Anita Bensoussane wrote: Would the software cost a lot, I wonder, and would it be straightforward to use?
Let me find out, and I will let you and Tony know. I will get back to you in a few days (maybe even tomorrow if the publications people respond quickly).
Anita Bensoussane wrote:If we did have an electronic version of the Journal, I wonder whether perhaps more and more people would gradually switch to that rather than the printed one, in the end pushing up the cost of the printed version until it was no longer viable (because costs of printing and delivery are higher for small orders).
Too soon to tell. Once I have more information, this too will become clearer. But let me say this - the e-documents that that I use, look at least as good, if not better than their printed versions. That's because the resolution is typically far superior on a computer. You can then either view them on the screen (download or just view online) or print it. As for pricing, there are several ways of doing this, but first let me find out more on how you produce an e-document.
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Lucky Star »

Could we set up a sort of "Subscription Table" at the EBS day in May? A few of us could man it in shifts and we might haul in soem new subscriptions or a few wavering resubscribers with a nice display of past journals or something? I'd be willing to man it for an hour or two.

Or could more advertising space be sold in the journal? I know one or two book dealers do have regular ads in there, presumably they pay for these. Could a few more dealers be persuaded to advertise?

I think an E-Journal would soon spell the death of the print version. I assume that a minimum number of print copies are required to make the thing viable and if large numbers of subscribers decide to go with the online version then wwe might fall below that minimum number. And I may just be old fashioned but I cannot see how an electronic version could ever have the grace and charm of the present publication.
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Lucky Star wrote:Could we set up a sort of "Subscription Table" at the EBS day in May? A few of us could man it in shifts and we might haul in some new subscriptions or a few wavering resubscribers with a nice display of past journals or something? I'd be willing to man it for an hour or two.
A nice idea, though Journals and subscription forms are usually displayed quite prominently on the Society stall which is normally manned by Colin Harding, Sophie Smallwood and Flora Watson - with Tony popping over every so often in between his other tasks. I'm not quite sure how many new subscribers an Enid Blyton Day typically attracts (there's such a lot on offer at Loddon Hall that people are probably spoilt for choice) but Tony would know. (None in 2010 and there were about 30 non-members present! Tony)
Lucky Star wrote:I may just be old fashioned but I cannot see how an electronic version could ever have the grace and charm of the present publication.
I'm very fond of the present format too.
70s-child wrote:
Anita Bensoussane wrote:Would the software cost a lot, I wonder, and would it be straightforward to use?
Let me find out, and I will let you and Tony know. I will get back to you in a few days (maybe even tomorrow if the publications people respond quickly).
Thanks, 70s-child - and Wolfgang as well. It's helpful to know about the available options, just in case.
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Faraway_Tree »

I just wanted to add my support and say that I think the journal is very reasonably priced, and will be happy to pay increased postage. I will be moving back to NZ towards the end of the year and will be happy to pay the increased overseas postage - we are used to paying a bit extra for magazines/journals down that end of the world!

I always really enjoy reading the Journal and was very impressed when I realised it was all collated, edited, and posted by one man! Thanks Tony! :D
Tony Summerfield
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I hadn't realised when I started this thread that all the new postal charges are already on the Royal Mail website. I mentioned that the bottom rate of second class post was going up 38% and assumed that this might be the rate across the board - but I was wrong. The UK Journal price is going up 20% and assuming that we don't lose too many members I might be able to keep the subscription at the current rate. However, things are not so rosy overseas!! The European postage is going up 64% from £1.79 to £2.93. The worldwide charge has now been split back into zones, but there isn't a great deal of difference between the prices - £2.60 at present rises to either £3.86 or £3.90 an increase of 50%. Some serious thinking lies ahead! :roll:

Although not relevant to the Journal the lightest weight for a small packet (under 100 grms) has gone from £1.33 to £2.20, an increase of 65%!!
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Tony Summerfield wrote:The European postage is going up 64% from £1.79 to £2.93. The worldwide charge has now been split back into zones, but there isn't a great deal of difference between the prices - £2.60 at present rises to either £3.86 or £3.90 an increase of 50%. Some serious thinking lies ahead! :roll:

Although not relevant to the Journal the lightest weight for a small packet (under 100 grms) has gone from £1.33 to £2.20, an increase of 65%!!
Those are huge increases. I know there are alternatives to Royal Mail when it comes to parcels, but what about letters? If there is no alternative, Royal Mail surely ought to be regulated so their prices rise more in line with general inflation.
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Re: Journal Postal Increases

Post by Julie2owlsdene »

Personally I still think the journal subscription could still be increased, as it isn't an expensive amount as it is. My husband's journal from one of his own association 8) is twice the price and half the contents. Which makes the journal good value for money. The price increase will help with the postal costs.

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