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BRM Price Increase


Poole
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£5.50 is only slightly above average for most similar sized magazines of different genres. Aviation Magazines range from £4.xx to 4.99 or more depending on the issue.

 

The recent political stuff going on and the things occuring in the next few months will likely see most stuff rise slightly in price anyway, from fuel to bread etc.

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One of the reasons I switched to BRM from Hornby Magazine was mainly because of for an extra 35p (then) I could get a DVD with every issue. As Steve says, DVDs are expensive to produce, and so I am happy to pay a little extra for a high quality magazine and DVD.

 

I have mooted subscribing, but for various reasons I've decided against it, though I might consider subscribing as it would seem better value than buying it from Smiths each month.

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This won't have affected me being a subscriber, but I have a stack of unwatched dvds from the covers and the 3d mag went straight in the recycling. So my view, being that of one person, would be I'd rather just have the magazine on it's own for less. I'm assuming I'm in the minority though as I'm sure they track each issues sales figures so know what appeals to most.

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£5.50 is only slightly above average for most similar sized magazines of different genres. Aviation Magazines range from £4.xx to 4.99 or more depending on the issue.

 

The recent political stuff going on and the things occuring in the next few months will likely see most stuff rise slightly in price anyway, from fuel to bread etc.

Actually it’s 55p (11.1%)above the norm and a 75p increase . So I wouldn’t say that’s exactly the norm. Airliners Magazine, for instance , imported from the US , presumably airfreight, still comes in at £4.95. Aside from bookazines I’ve never paid more than a £5 for a mag.

 

In general, however , I find I’m buying less .£5.50 mags will just continue that trend

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I know a 75p increase sounds a lot but to me this magazine is still a bargain and I will still purchase this magazine at the end of the day it's only once a month.:)

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It’s only a bargain if there is something in it that you actually want to read. My point, and the point of others, is that those people casually browsing the shelves and considering buying a modelling magazine out of general interest or curiosity may be less likely to make a purchase of this particular publication when they compare the price with other modelling publications which have not (yet?) broken the £5 barrier.

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I tend to find once one item in any particular field of retail finally breaks through a certain price barrier, the competition are soon falling over each other to catch up.

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It’s only a bargain if there is something in it that you actually want to read. My point, and the point of others, is that those people casually browsing the shelves and considering buying a modelling magazine out of general interest or curiosity may be less likely to make a purchase of this particular publication when they compare the price with other modelling publications which have not (yet?) broken the £5 barrier.

 

This is a really good point and one that I 100% agree with. This is why the price will only increase when we feel the Bumper Pack warrants it. You'll soon see what I mean. But, it won't suit everyone.

 

Thanks to everyone for your viewpoints and understanding.

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This is a really good point and one that I 100% agree with. This is why the price will only increase when we feel the Bumper Pack warrants it. You'll soon see what I mean. But, it won't suit everyone.

 

Thanks to everyone for your viewpoints and understanding.

Is that because there's pics of my Layout in there? :no:  :sungum:  :sungum:  :onthequiet:

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It’s only a bargain if there is something in it that you actually want to read. My point, and the point of others, is that those people casually browsing the shelves and considering buying a modelling magazine out of general interest or curiosity may be less likely to make a purchase of this particular publication when they compare the price with other modelling publications which have not (yet?) broken the £5 barrier.

Interesting . Yes suspect you are correct that once someone breaks the £5 mark they will all do it . Hopefully at least one wont follow the pack. I'm like you I browse to see if anything of interest, not just Model Railway Mags, but Railway, Airplanes, Shipping ,Buses. I seldom look at the price as if its of interest I'll buy it. Maybe that's what they're aiming for here. if its of interest within a limit £4.50-£5.50 say people will buy. Of course , if its bagged, I can't browse..................

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Instead of handing over a fiver for a magazine you may now be having to get a tenner out and that's what may make some rethink their purchase.

I stopped purchasing magazines a few years back as they often contain more of what is of no interest to me than what is, and as the price went up It felt like I was getting less value for money.

You could buy a Parkside kit for less than the cost of two mags and get more out of it.

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I stopped purchasing magazines a few years back as they often contain more of what is of no interest to me than what is, and as the price went up It felt like I was getting less value for money.

 

Yes. To a large extent commercial magazines are trying to be all things to all railway modellers and cover all interests - all eras, all genres, all scales, and railways nationwide. Yet in reality many potential purchasers have fairly limited interests (although the interest may change over time). Consequently there's bound to be content that is of little interest for many.

 

And that is where special interest mags score well. They are often produced by scale societies or specialist historical railway company clubs like the Gauge O Guild, the N Gauge Society, DEMU, LNER society and so on. Perhaps they are the place to go for particular 'fixes' and mày become more attractive and better VFM as the commercial magazines increase in price.

 

G

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I'm more than happy with the magazine picked mine up from Sainsburys this morning great layouts and pictures plenty to read.:)

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Yes. To a large extent commercial magazines are trying to be all things to all railway modellers and cover all interests - all eras, all genres, all scales, and railways nationwide. Yet in reality many potential purchasers have fairly limited interests (although the interest may change over time). Consequently there's bound to be content that is of little interest for many.

 

And that is where special interest mags score well. They are often produced by scale societies or specialist historical railway company clubs like the Gauge O Guild, the N Gauge Society, DEMU, LNER society and so on. Perhaps they are the place to go for particular 'fixes' and mày become more attractive and better VFM as the commercial magazines increase in price.

 

G

 

It's true that a commercial magazine can't satisfy the person who defines their interest as "N gauge GWR in the Taunton area on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in April" followed by  "AND THAT IS ALL I EVER WANT TO SEE", but fortunately, there are lots of people with wider tastes, or who are open-minded enough to be happy to read things that they previously hadn't been aware of. It's the difference between listening to CDs where you only hear things you know, and listening to the radio or some streaming services where you discover new music. There's space for both. It's why we try to deliver projects with methods applicable to several scales. 

 

Even the specialists can't do it all. Produce a pure N gauge magazine and someone will complain it's not the "right" N gauge, quickly followed by arguments over the amount of "kettles" on the page.

 

Technically, it would possible to buy a bespoke magazine service with only articles that tick the boxes you have chosen. It wouldn't be on paper though. Not sure it would be cheaper either if everything is to the same standard as a commercial magazine.

 

And in case anyone wonders what £5.50 buys you near me:

2018-08-10 20.39.01.jpg

 

4 quarter pints in Leamington's newest microbrewery and a vegetable samosa. All were delicious and none lasted as long as a magazine.

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It's true that a commercial magazine can't satisfy the person who defines their interest as "N gauge GWR in the Taunton area on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in April" followed by  "AND THAT IS ALL I EVER WANT TO SEE", but fortunately, there are lots of people with wider tastes, or who are open-minded enough to be happy to read things that they previously hadn't been aware of. It's the difference between listening to CDs where you only hear things you know, and listening to the radio or some streaming services where you discover new music. There's space for both. It's why we try to deliver projects with methods applicable to several scales. 

 

Even the specialists can't do it all. Produce a pure N gauge magazine and someone will complain it's not the "right" N gauge, quickly followed by arguments over the amount of "kettles" on the page.

 

Technically, it would possible to buy a bespoke magazine service with only articles that tick the boxes you have chosen. It wouldn't be on paper though. Not sure it would be cheaper either if everything is to the same standard as a commercial magazine.

 

And in case anyone wonders what £5.50 buys you near me:

attachicon.gif2018-08-10 20.39.01.jpg

 

4 quarter pints in Leamington's newest microbrewery and a vegetable samosa. All were delicious and none lasted as long as a magazine.

 

Looks very good but if they are 1/4 pint pots that samosa is about the size of a large crisp!!

 

Jerry

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It's true that a commercial magazine can't satisfy the person who defines their interest as "N gauge GWR in the Taunton area on a sunny Wednesday afternoon in April" followed by  "AND THAT IS ALL I EVER WANT TO SEE", but fortunately, there are lots of people with wider tastes, or who are open-minded enough to be happy to read things that they previously hadn't been aware of. It's the difference between listening to CDs where you only hear things you know, and listening to the radio or some streaming services where you discover new music. There's space for both. It's why we try to deliver projects with methods applicable to several scales. 

 

Even the specialists can't do it all. Produce a pure N gauge magazine and someone will complain it's not the "right" N gauge, quickly followed by arguments over the amount of "kettles" on the page.

 

 

 

You do seem to have a downer on N/2mm always making out is those enthusiasts who are excessively demanding and unreasonable. Perhaps that comes across in the magazine.

 

But I think you might be missing the point that society and specialist club magazines are tailored to their members interests and do provide a service where the content is more broadly acceptable than could possible be achieved by a commercial effort that is trying to keep all balls in the air.

 

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You do seem to have a downer on N/2mm always making out is those enthusiasts who are excessively demanding and unreasonable. Perhaps that comes across in the magazine.

 

But I think you might be missing the point that society and specialist club magazines are tailored to their members interests and do provide a service where the content is more broadly acceptable than could possible be achieved by a commercial effort that is trying to keep all balls in the air.

 

 

Rest assured that if had been the editor of the S Scale magazine making your points, I'd have been talking about S gauge "kettles". As far as I and BRM are concerned, we like all scales and gauges equally. We do however, have to keep the majority readership happy, hence the focus on the market-leading scales. 

 

And I assure you, I got all the points being made.

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Looks very good but if they are 1/4 pint pots that samosa is about the size of a large crisp!!

 

Jerry

 

It wasn't huge, but the phone camera lens (which hadn't enjoyed a drink) distorts matters a little. Mind you, that Samosa wasn't huge, but then I'm eating healthily, so no large portions for me!

 

Oddly, three pots 1/3 of a pint were 50p more than my 4 pot selection. I have no idea how that works. 

 

Railway connection - the microbrewery is in a railway arch so drinking is accomapnied by the sounds of trains passing overhead. Real enthusiasts will be able to work out the motive power from the rumble.

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To be fair, if I'd paid for somebody to dress me and I ended up looking like that I'd want my money back:-))

 

I don't know if the correlation works but I suspect its pretty close between the cost of one to two pints and that of a magazine - depending of course where you buy your beer. Breaking through the £5 barrier will have a psychological impact on some and I suspect the publishers will have resisted for as long as possible but I still think its pretty good value. 

 

Jerry 

 

I rarely drink beer so I don't know how much it costs but this link offers some information and sounds about right compared with what I've heard.  Plenty of places where you won't get a couple of pints for that £5.50 BRM cover price

 

https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/food-and-drink/pint-beer-cost-uk/

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so no large portions for me!

 

 

So, no sausage sandwiches/oatcakes here on the next filming day?

 

Anyway; all this price malarkey must have come from the news last week that NASA was spending $1.5bn on a Parker probe or something.

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