When is a back number not a back number?

[Tim Chambers]

Went to an excellent exhibition this morning and whilst there, purchased a copy of MRJ no. 192(presumably sort of mid 2009)and was mildly surprised to be charged full price for what I would normally describe as a "back number" with the consequent reduction in cover price that one would normally expect.No problem,if I wasn't happy with that I could have walked away and I will doubtless thoroughly enjoy the read but.......I'm probably not comparing like with like but I donate all my magazines to the Swanage Railway who normally charge 10/20p for them, which appears to be the norm for "back numbers", so I'm left with just a wee question mark.I'm sure you know whence I cometh!

[MartinWales]

TBH I would scan ebay and the like for them, as I baulk at paying full price for an older mag unless it contained something of value to me or others.

[Worsdell forever]

I had a 'J R Hartley' moment a couple of years ago when I bought a mag that my layout was in (BRM sept 04) and was disapointed it was so cheap!!

[Roddy Angus]

Tim

 

I suspect it depends who you are buying it from. If it is a retailer and is a "new" copy then I would expect to pay the cover price as the retailer will have paid the wholesale price and will still have to make their profit. If you order a back number from the publisher, you would normally have to pay the cover price but maybe not postage. If buying a second hand copy then I would expect to pay a lot less. At the end of the day it will be supply and demand that drives the price.

 

Roddy

[Pennine MC]

TBH I would scan ebay

 

Doesnt that breach copyright

 

 

 

[plarailfan]

I don't buy many magazines now, the cover price is too dear, for instance, two monthly train mags for me, a fishkeeping mag and a cat mag for the missus, cost us about fifteen quid. When I do a carboot stall, folks only want to pay 20p each, - so a loss of fourteen quid, if you could get a couple of quid each, I wouldn't mind at all then, but no chance, so I'd rather just spend the money directly on my hobby, or buy a good train book that holds it's value, better, when I'm gone. - although saying that, I've picked some really good railway books at carboots lately for just two pounds each - and other good titles I already had, were still unsold when the stallholder packed up to go home.

 

My local model shop sells a few mags, with back numbers going back about three issues, and they charge the full cover price, but I think they should be cheap to clear once the next issue arrives.

[griffgriff]

TBH I would scan ebay and the like for them, as I baulk at paying full price for an older mag unless it contained something of value to me or others.

 

I guess that's the point... any mag will be of interest to someone, otherwise they wouldn't have been published in the first place. A magazine is only worth what people are willing to pay but if you want an article you have to he pay the rate - it boils down to supply and demand.

 

But going back to the OP... MRJ is a quality publication... more akin to a book... I guess it was sold as such but if it was second hand it would appear to be a bit 'tight' for something so recent as 2009 to be sold at cover price.

[James]

My local model shop sells a few mags, with back numbers going back about three issues, and they charge the full cover price, but I think they should be cheap to clear once the next issue arrives.

 

Why should they be cheaper?

 

Especially so in the case of the small independent retailer, they have to make a profit so they can earn a living from the business.

 

I don't see why they should reduce the price if they've paid the full trade price for the item - normally newsagents send back any unsold copies so it's actually rather useful if a model shop has a couple of copies of the last couple of issues in case you've missed it.

[Kenton]

Back copies are not always cheaper.

As the magazine (book) becomes rarer as it is out of print, originals are lost/destroyed/defaced obtaining a particular issue you should be prepared to pay a premium.

 

Just try seeking out Issue 0 (yes there was one) or the compendiums.

Having subscribed all the way I am fortunate to have a complete set. Though sadly I went through a period of rationalisation and defaced many copies removing the bits I didn't think were of any use to me. I've done lots of really stupid things in my time.

[Bernard Lamb]

Wild Swan sell them on their stand at the cover price and when they are gone that's it. Except for the original issue that did get reprinted at a hefty mark up to allow people to complete their sets. Seems a fair policy to me. You do a print run and expect a certain level of income from it. Better to keep them on the stand where they will eventually sell rather than dispose of them cheaply. Being a quality mag with only a few adverts they will always sell eventually. Wild Swan do seem to know how to run a business.

Bernard

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Out of all the mag MRJ seems to hold it's price, many of the early numbers are out of print and a few later numbers including 145 that had Saffron Street in.

 

At shows where I have helped out on the Wild Swan stand there are plenty of people who buy large numbers of back issues at full price to fill in the issues they are missing.

 

David