Issue 3? (1 Viewer)

[JasonKZ]

Anyone heard anything on the status of issue three? I received issue 2 two months ago this week.

 

[Greg Robinson]

Issue #3 is on newsstands. Barnes & Noble in Boston had it on Thursday.

 

[Jack Briggs]

And I just picked up a copy from my favorite newsstand not quite an hour ago.

 

[JasonKZ]

great, I will look out for it - thanks!

 

[JasonKZ]

Anyone received a copy in their subsciption yet?

 

[David Tolsky]

This is a major problem. There's nothing I can't stand more than seeing the new issue in Border's a week ago and still having not received it in the mail. I'm still waiting for it.

 

[JasonKZ]

It is a little backwards from the norm, huh? ALL of my other magazines (10+), I receive at home atleast a week (if not 2-3 weeks for monthlies) before I ever see them on newstands.

 

[Frederick_Falk]

I went by Barnes and Noble yesterday and there was issue 3 sitting on the shelf and as of last night I still have not received my subscription issue at my house. If this continues, then I am going to CANCEL my subscription and just pick it up at the news stand. I would really like to see this mag succeed, but I don't have the patience to wait an extra week for it.

 

[Jeff_P]

Same here. I've seen this magazine at B&N and still have not received it yet. I was looking forward to the two magazines that I subsribed through HTF and both seem to be having problems.

 

[Ed Faver]

I received #3 via USPS on Saturday. HTF is featured in a 'Top 10 Best of the Worst' which was culled from the Guilty Pleasures poll of some 6 weeks ago...

 

[JasonKZ]

Hmmm. Mine is still AWOL.

 

[StephanieM]

I just received mine yesterday though I did see the new issue at an audio place over a week ago. I too was wondering how come I didn't receive mine yet. Also, the mag states that they'll soon be moving to monthly issues.

 

[David Glenn]

I received mine a few days ago. I have to admit, I feel like I'm reading a back issue. It seems like some of the dvds (i.e.: The Royal Tenenbaums Criterion, etc.) being reviewed have been released well over a month ago.

I prefer reading reviews on future releases or at least current releases. I don't bother reading reviews on dvds I already own/viewed.

However, I do understand that there are a few strange individuals that don't purchase dvds on the day of their release.

 

[Frederick_Falk]

Well, I still have NOT received my issue and they have till Friday to get it to me or I WILL cancel my subscription. I am NOT a happy camper right now! :f

 

[LewB]

October 11th here in New York, still NO ISSUE 3 :td:
Issue 3 arrived yesterday, October 12th.

 

[Clay Autery]

I've not received mine either... I came to check this forum specifically because I expected to see it in my mail box before now...

At this point, I think that a comment/explanation from the publisher is in order...

I cannot conceive of an acceptable explanation for why paid subscribers should not receive their copies before the newsstands do... period.

I am very disappointed...

 

[Clint Walker]

Hello HTF, I was alerted to the newsstand/subscriber problem just a couple of hours ago by Mr. Autery--thank you. Because it is a weekend, I simply cannot get answers for you right now. However, I believe this is my Personal RESPONSIBILITY to YOU our foundation subscribers. And you are right, THERE IS NO EXCUSE for you receiving your subscription even an hour after it has hit the newsstand! I can only offer that our newsstand and subscription fulfillment are contracted to outside sources (as with every publishing company I know of) so there has obviously been a breakdown in the process somewhere. To be frank with you, the feedback that we receive from members of the HTF has been a valuable growing experience for DVD ETC. Magazine-we do listen to your suggestions (and rants) and we do take them seriously. Please check back after next week, we will have ANSWERS and a SPECIAL LINK for all current subscribers to DVD ETC. Magazine as a token of good faith for the inconvenience. Regards, Clint Walker, Editor

 

[Clint Walker]

:star: :star: Hi Clay,

I have mixed feeling regarding your comments on delivery issue you seem so vehement about.
First, I am very happy that you find it dis-concerting that you did not receive your issue prior to it's newsstand debut...it says to me that you care about the magazine and want it in your hands ASAP.

Second, unfortunately we are at the mercy of the US Post Office. The issue was printed on time and met it's newsstand date without a problem. Based on that, we should have had our subscriber issues out on time, and did. However, once the issues hit the USPS they are out of our hands.
This is by no means the only magazine this happens to.
I was the publisher of numerous magazines prior to starting up DVD ETC., and it never ceased to amaze me the # of issues of these various magazines that would reach subscribers after they were on the newsstand. The only common thread you can find in this is? you guessed it, the USPS.
You see, magazines are not mailed 1st class, it simply would cost too much. Therefore we must deal with the PO and the bulk delivery systems they offer.

Please let me clear up one other thing....While we appreciate you subscribing to the magazine, no where it is said or implied, that you will receive your magazine prior to newsstand delivery. As a subscriber, what you receive is a substantial savings, over 60%! And if you took advantage of the HTF offer, it's 80% or just a $1 an issue.

That said, we will do everything we can do get our issues out to you as quickly as possible.

Thanks for reading.

Terry Carroll
Publisher
DVD ETC. Magazine

 

[Clay Autery]

Mr. Carroll:

First, I want to thank you for the relatively timely response... However, I would like to encourage you to create your own personal account here at HTF with YOUR NAME on it. For a moment, I began to think that Mr. Walker had a split personality, since your respective responses are virtually diametrically opposed...

I am well aware of the many and varied adventures of utilizing the USPS for product delivery. I too have years of experience in such things. If I may presume to offer some suggestions/observations/opinions...

As others have suggested, many/most magazines do in fact reach the subscriber base BEFORE they reach retail shelves. Many/most customers have come to look upon this as "the norm". Perhaps you could post the subscriber copies early (release the retail stacks later.... six one, half a dozen the other ).

Personally, I think that it would be well worth y'alls time to do a little time/distribution study to determine the transit time (and routing) of both the retail stacks and the subscriber bulk mailings from the distribution point(s) to destinations across the country. You could create a cool color-coded map and everything with the data you collect. This would help you to 1) identify distribution problems, 2)assist in the formulation of solutions for the distribution problems/disparate receipt dates, and 3) at the minimum suggest a time hack sequence that you could use as a reverse planning aid for a multi-date release strategy designed to "even out" receipt dates.

I am also quite aware that there is no written guarantee, promise, suggestion, implication, or even a "wink and a nod" that subscribers will or should receive their copies prior to release at retail outlets... BUT, as I pointed out earlier, "Many/most customers have come to look upon this as 'the norm'." AND as a very smart man once pointed out to me as regards many things (politics and customer service inclusive), "Perception IS reality." Failure to deliver to one's customer what is perceived by said customer as customary/deserved/normal is very likely to produce a less than acceptable "same-store return" rate.... READ: tick off the subscriber base, and they won't renew their subscription.... or worse... they cancel.

I have absolutely zero knowledge of the magazine publishing biz... but I would suspect that having a larger subscriber base is better than having a smaller one... I would also surmise that having a stable (better with a positive growth rate) subscriber base is preferable to an unstable base characterized by high turnover rate, lower renewal rates, etc., etc.

In fact, part of my SWAG (Scientific Wild-Assed Guess) is that very often the advertising rate level a magazine is able to sustain is likely very closely related at least inpart to the subscriber base numbers (as a very important subset of the overall total copies sold numbers).

Therfore, if I were the guy on the hot seat responsible for maximizing the subscriber numbers so that ad rates can in turn be maximized, so that in turn the organization can do all the other cool stuff... like publish the issue, pay salaries, buy/fund copy and art... etc..... "I" would be inclined to find a way to make sure my subscriber base stayed happy.... And if that meant exerting a little effort to find a way to get their copies to them before the retail outlets got them on the shelves... while meeting my other obligations.... I think... no, I KNOW that is exactly what I would do.

So... while I accept your explanation that THIS issue reached us late due to the different distribution systems used for subscriber copies (USPS) vs. retail copies (???).... I would encourage you NOT to rely on that explanation for follow-on issues...

Of course... this is all just my opinion and is only guaranteed to be worth what you paid for it.

Looking forward to Issue #4...

 

[JasonKZ]

I like getting my magazines early, and it does factor a little into my decision to renew - but not as much as the magazine itself.

What DOES factor into my decision to renew is getting a magazine 2-3 WEEKS after the newstand. I know you guys are new, so I expect things will improve every month.....

As far as blaming this problem on the USPS - well, sorry, but not buying that one. Like I said, I get over 10 other magazines, and not a single one has this problem. It's gotta be the magazine or your unique distribution channel....

Anyhow, thanks for listening to our feedback and trying to look into the problem.

Still waiting on my Issue 3..................